CHARTIST

For democratic socialism September/October 2015 #276 £2 Historic moment?

Dave Prentis Trade unions Rosa de la Fuente Spain Louise Hoj Larsen TTIP Tim Jones Greek debt Andy Gregg Refugees

ISSN - 0968 7866 ISSUE

www.chartist.org.uk Contributions and letters deadline for CONTENTS CHARTIST #277 FEATURES Editorial Policy 11th October 2015 Chartist welcomes articles, of 800 or 1500 words, and TU RIGHTS UNDER THREAT The editorial policy of CHARTIST is to letters in electronic format only to:[email protected] promote debate amongst people active in UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis radical politics about the contemporary Receive Chartist’s online newsletter: send your email address to 8 takes on the Tories relevance of democratic socialism across [email protected] the spectrum of politics, economics, science, philosophy, art, interpersonal Chartist Advert Rates: relations – in short, the whole realm of WELFARE TRAP social life. Inside Full page £200; 1/2 page £125; 1/4 page £75; 1/8 page £40; 1/16 page £25; small box John Percival reveals the elephant trap set 5x2cm £15 single sheet insert £50 for Labour Our concern is with both democracy and We are also interested in advert swaps with other publications. To place an advert, please 9 socialism. The history of the last century email: [email protected] has made it abundantly clear that the mass of the population of the advanced WHY LABOUR LOST capitalist countries will have no interest in any form of socialism which is not CHARTIST on the web, social media and blogosphere! Peter Rowlands sifts the evidence and thoroughly democratic in its principles, 10 bins the spin its practices, its morality and its ideals. Yet the consequences of this deep attach - JOIN THE DEBATE! ment to democracy – one of the greatest advances of our epoch – are seldom Labour at a cross roads: pages 9 & 12 RENEWING DEMOCRATIC Cover by Martin Rowson, originally reflected in the discussion and debates SOCIALISM Paul printed in the Daily Mirror. amongst active socialists. 12 Reynolds show how there is all to work for Reprinted with permission CHARTIST is not a party publication. It brings together people who are interested in socialism, some of whom are active the MEDITERRANEAN REFUGEES Labour Party and the trade union move - CHARTIST ment. It is concerned to deepen and Andy Gregg refocuses on the people and extend a dialogue with all other socialists 14 their plight FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM and with activists from other movements Number 276 September/October 2015 involved in the struggle to find democrat - ic alternatives to the oppression, exploita - tion and injustices of capitalism and www.CHARTIST.org.uk GREEK DEBT class society Global Justice’s Tim Jones sets out the REGULARS @Chartist48 case for write-off Editorial Board 16 EDITORIAL CHARTIST is published six times a year ADVERTISEMENT GREEK POLITICS 4 A new way or will it be axed? by the Chartist Collective. This issue was Isidoros Diakides and Mike Davis report produced by an Editorial Board consisting on the forthcoming General Election POINTS AND CROSSINGS of Duncan Bowie (Reviews), Peter Chalk, 18 6 Paul Salveson on rail Mike Davis (Editor), Nigel Doggett, David Greece: pages 16 to 18 renationalisation Floyd, Don Flynn, Roger Gillham, Peter Kenyon (Treasurer), Frank Lee, Dave SPANISH CITIES IN REVOLT GREENWATCH Lister, Andy Morton (Production Editor), Read every fortnight 7 Dave Toke rings alarm bells Robbie Scott, Mary Southcott, James TRIBUNE Rosa de la Fuente explains how activists Grayson, Patricia d’Ardenne, Sheila News, interviews, analysis, opinion, features and reviews 19 are now in charge FILM REVIEW Osmanovic and Patrick Mulcahy. plus the hottest political gossip in the labour movement 25 Patrick Mulcahy on Iranian film

Production was undertaken by Andy BOOK REVIEWS Morton “The strongest pieces of leftist analysis being written RETHINKING EUROPE 26 Duncan Bowie on Blair, urban at the moment are to be found in Tribune” Frank Lee thinks the project is finished China and British socialism, Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of – Financial Times Mike Davis on Living history and the EB 20 Operation Ajax, Ben Francis on Subscribe to Tribune NOW! Gaza, Frank Lee on Debt, Dave Published by Chartist Publications It’s just: £19 for 3 months or £38 for 6 months or £75 for a year (UK rates) Lister on the cost of living, Tony PO Box 52751 London EC2P 2XF TTIP - LAID BARE Manzi on privatisation, Stephen tel: 0845 456 4977 Marks on looting Africa and Pay on to Tribune, Account No. 20274421; code: 086001; reference ETUC’s Louise Hoj Larsen lifts the lid on a Nigel Watt on Angola Printed by People For Print Ltd, Unit 10, Riverside Park, “subsZ~” and your name. 22 sinister global corporate plan Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB – Tel 0114 272 0915. WESTMINSTER VIEW Email: [email protected] 32 Cat Smith MP on www.tribunemagazine.org Corbynmania Website: www.chartist.org.uk WESTMINSTER BUBBLE Email: [email protected] tel: 07505 395 719 TTIP - page 22 Trevor Fisher challenges political elitism Twitter: @Chartist48 Newsletter online: to join, email 24 [email protected]

September/October 2015 CHARTIST 3 EDITORIAL

and commitment from which to draw in a newly energised of people fleeing civil wars, repression and dictatorships in party. North Africa is brought under the spotlight by Andy Popular policies, consistently campaigned for, will have Gregg . He focuses on the plight of Eritreans and the the ability to appeal to disaffected former Labour voters, under-reported situation in that brutal Horn of Africa many who voted UKIP, will appeal to Tory voters who state. But the questions are the same. What concerted voted for the real thing rather than austerity lite and approach will the European Union take to support A new way or many hundreds of thousands of new, young voters. migrants? How will Britain welcome asylum seekers and Corbyn's policies appeal to the underdog, workers and refugees? immigrants as well as ‘aspirational’ voters, (though who The ‘migrant crisis’ (a term like Al-Jazeera, we will now doesn’t have aspirations?) on a people’s EU, education, seek to avoid) brings into relief the issue of what the housing, culture and enterprise. At root it is about a robust European Union is for. Currently the emphasis is more on opposition to Tory policies of inequality, exploitation and disunion. This is what the beleaguered Greek government attacks on human rights pitted against an alternative have found. Having achieved a huge mandate for a new vision of a democratic social republic in which wealth is deal within Europe in January, the SYRIZA-led Athens will it be axed? redistributed, democracy is enhanced and the economy regime negotiated in good faith for a further loan with debt works primarily for people not markets and Mammon. relief and restructuring. They have ended up with a fur - Whoever wins they will have 4-1/2 years to consolidate ther round of austerity and privatisation in exchange for a that transformation of the terms of political engagement. third bail-out of £60bn. Whether debt relief will result is in The fatalists say impossible, the nay sayers utopian. But the balance but as Tim Jones of Jubilee Debt Campaign an economy and a world geared to the needs of the many argues, without debt forgiveness the Greek economy, like ritish Labour Party politics is at a crossroads. ships and lauding entrepreneurs, SMEs and co-operatives. not the few is a world both worth fighting for and achieve- Latin American and African countries before, will have lit- Jeremy Corbyn MP’s nomination as a Yes, he proposes to renationalisie energy companies and able. Who would tle chance of recov - Leadership candidate has dramatically trans - railways, but not in the context of state control. He wants have thought after ery. The neo-liberals formed the contest. He has done it with great consumer and worker involvement - democratic control. the dismay of 8 May who currently run dignity, clarity of thought and purpose. The common ownership Clause 4 which Blair ditched to 2015, that goal Europe seem blind BWin or lose, Corbyn has provided a vivid illustration of might be in sight to the long term seal his victory in 1997 will not be a centrepiece of how Labour politicians need never again be accused of Corbyn’s campaign despite the critics. He acknowledges again after just prospects. Greece being the same as the Tories. He has attracted back young that a public-private mix is the way forward, but that pri - another five years in finds itself between and old Labourites in numbers not seen since the end of vate profit and the market have come to dominate the neo- opposition? a rock and a hard the 1970s. liberal economic world of the Tories and New Labour. He This edition of place as Isidoros This is all despite former leader Tony Blair’s cataclysmic starts from the proposition that people’s needs and welfare Chartist was largely Diakides and warnings: ‘Civilisation as we know it will end.’ ‘The world must come first. written a month Mike Davis report will cave in.’ ‘Annihilation is at hand’. His PR man Alastair Corbynomics embraces the alternative to Tory austerity, before the ballot on the latest ‘deal’. (dodgy-dossier) Campbell claimed Corbyn ‘would kill that the Labour Party leadership singularly failed to spell closed. A shift in the politi- Labour’. Blairite acolytes launched an ‘ABC-anyone but out with enough clarity or conviction to win the 2015 Whether it' is cal balance of forces Corbyn' campaign. As the ballot papers were despatched, General Election. Burnham, Cooper or in Europe is urgent- all they seemed to have achieved is to encourage He is also an internationalist. His support Corbyn who becomes ly needed. The rifts more members to vote Corbyn4Leader. for movements of the oppressed, chal - the leader of the were beginning to But impressions can be deceptive. lenges to global capitalism and to Labour Party he or show during the What is beyond doubt is that Many the Zionist Israeli state (that lies she will have to hit Greek negotiations. Corbyn has helped draw into behind so much division in the the ground running. Political changes in the Labour Party huge num - of these new recruits Middle East) are not without The Tories in gov - Ireland, Portugal bers of new members, £3 controversy. His willingness ernment have once and Spain away supporters and union affili - are young people enthused to promote equality and jus - again revealed their from austerity poli - ates, boosting the Party by Corbyn’s campaigning zeal, tice is what has caught the nasty class character Jez points the way for the party of Labour cies could further electorate to over 610,000; imagination of Labour with the removal of that process. Rosa more than treble that before his message of hope and Party members and support - the cloak of coalition that curbed their more aggressive de la Fuente reports on successes in Madrid and the general election. Many of consistent anti- ers. tendencies. As Dave Prentis reveals, their Trade Union Barcelona for the left which could bode well for Podemos these new recruits are young To criticise NATO is not to Bill is an unashamed assault on human rights and the and socialists in the end-of-year elections. people enthused by Corbyn’s endorse Putin and his nefarious largest civil society organisations in the country. Being However, with the crisis in Greece combined with the campaigning zeal, his message of ways. Similarly, to oppose Trident forced to achieve voting thresholds that do not apply to this war in Ukraine Frank Lee is less optimistic about the hope and consistent anti-austerity pol - renewal (which could save up to government in order to take industrial action, trade unions longer term prospects for the EU. Attempts to pursue itics. He has also attracted back many £100bn) and promote nuclear disarmament will also be spied up, checked and inhibited from conduct- failed free market economic policies persist. Louise Hoj lapsed and disillusioned supporters who dropped has been a consistent campaign commitment for ing currently lawful activity. Larsen reports on the Transatlantic Trade and out during the Blair years. The mood at his overflowing Corbyn for over 40 years. He stands in the shoes of other Social security is another pillar of the post-war welfare Investment Policy, a spearhead of neo-liberalism, currently meetings has been akin to the Scottish independence cam - great Labour leaders from Keir Hardie and George state that Cameron and Co. are intent on savaging. As being pushed through the EU. TTIP in its current form paign. Lansbury to Bevan and Michael Foot in opposing imperial - John Percival reports, their plans to cap benefits will hit seeks to force open the doors to privatisation and gives cor- If he wins, his first major electoral tests will be in ist wars and exploitation. This is an era when these the poor, the vulnerable, disabled and women hardest. The porations powers to sue governments who resist for huge Scotland and London. It is in Scotland that Corbyn has themes could find support around the world. idea that families will get no further support for a third or sums. So much for democracy! already marked himself out as a capable and perceptive This is not going back but forward. His are policies to fourth child is reminiscent of Chinese totalitarianism. A Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour Party, with an alternative leader. “I’m a socialist, not a unionist”, he told Scottish tackle globalisation, exploitation, inequality and threat of Corbyn was the only leadership candidate to join almost 50 economic programme to austerity-lite neo-liberalism, could audiences in mid-August: a dog-whistle to former Labour environmental apocalypse. Win or lose, Labour Party mem - other Labour MPs in voting against this nasty bill which provide new hope to millions of disillusioned and new vot- members and the young who defected to the Scottish bers are enjoying a master-class in how to re-forge Labour seeks to recreate a deserving and undeserving poor while ers, as newly elected MP Cat Smith writes. Corbyn’s eco- Nationalist Party, reducing Labour Scottish MPs to a rump as the credible party of social justice, internationalism and depicting benefit recipients as scroungers. nomic programme to invest in manufacturing, housing and of just one in the 2015 General Election. solidarity. Amid all the campaigning for Labour’s leadership it is public services, new tech and green jobs, combined with More importantly, Corbyn has driven a stake in the Corbyn’s ability to lead and hold the party together is important not to lose sight of the reasons why Labour lost. progressive taxation and no set timetable for deficit reduc- heart of the neo-liberal economic thinking that has plagued untested. Even if he is overwhelmed at the ballot box, his Peter Rowlands provides a detailed analysis of the demo- tion, would help set Britain on a new economic course. It is British Labour Party economic policy since former Prime contributions over the course of the four-month campaign graphics of defeat, highlighting features that could provide a course to enthuse millions and that will find increasing Minister James Callaghan embraced monetarism during demand an end to command and control by the Labour the springboard for future Labour success. Trevor Fisher allies throughout Europe and the wider world. Whoever the mid-1970s. It may have elements of 1980s Bennism— Party machine. That is a challenge for Chartist . He has underlines the importance of Labour registering new vot - wins, Chartist will be publishing a special 16-page edition not surprising given that Tony Benn was a significant proposed restoring democratic elections to the shadow cabi - ers, democratising its operations and moving on from the in time for the Labour Party Annual Conference to sign - mentor—yet Corbyn has attuned his policies to the 21st net and a restoration of Labour Party democracy. There Blairite years. post a new era of democratic socialism. century, talking up new technology, boosting apprentice - are more than enough reserves of experience, enthusiasm The growing crisis in the Mediterranean with 100,000s

4 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 5 POINTS & CROSSINGS GREENWATCH Railways for the common good? Alarm bells

Paul feature of the Labour leadership cam - ist enterprise, with a very hierarchical management Salveson paign has been the renewed support for structure and little interest in developing the net - rail ‘re-nationalisation’. Corbyn was first work. Was customer service better in BR days than Dave ell, crop yields haven’t tumbled in power plant will be paid around £80 per MWh for a sounds a to raise the call, followed by Andy now? I wouldn’t say so. Were employees more the wake of the bans on allegedly mere 15 years, with no loan guarantees. So far The Burnham, whose statement was more ‘empowered’? No, I was one of them and I never felt Toke bee-killing neo-nicotinoid pesticides, Sunday Times, Daily Express and Daily Mail opin - qAualified, suggesting that a Labour Government led very empowered. But didn’t the Government invest I read in the New Scientist (August ion pieces have condemned the deal, as well as vari - warning by him would permit a ‘public sector’ bidder to com - in rail? You must be joking. Remember Beeching in on the 13th). Dave Goulson, a bee expert ous energy analysts and other institutions. But the about pete for franchises. This was basically what shadow the 60s? But more recently, don’t forget the stran - Wfrom the University of Sussex writes that far from Government are still ploughing ahead with a fan - transport secretary Michael Dugher proposed dur - glehold which the Treasury inflicted on BR refusing extinction declining, yields from this pesticide (crops such as fare piece of agreement with the Chinese in the returning ing Labour’s disastrous election campaign. desperately-needed investment and the run-down of of bees sunflower and maize) have actually risen by around October. The Chinese are agreeing to this in order to Both are ill-conceived. Burnham’s suggestion that many local routes. 25 per cent in the period since the chemicals were open the door to build their own nuclear power plant rail to a ‘public sector’ bidder should be allowed to compete The current approach towards creative use of the and banned. Farmer organisations had been predicting a in the UK. Perhaps they are being a bit hopeful public for franchises is particularly muddled. The cost of franchising tool by DfT civil servants is bringing massive collapse in crop yields, with 50,000 jobs on here, after all the nuclear build programme in putting together a passenger rail franchise bid is some benefits. Rail franchises are specifying sub - Brexit the line. A bit of an overstatement, a bit of hype? China seems to be falling well below expectations ownershi around £10 million per bidder, plus the high costs of stantial benefits for employees, passengers and local I must say I am very sceptical about the associa - for its delivery. evaluating the three or four franchises which may communities. Franchise bidders are having to wise tion, so beloved in this country, of the ‘countryside’ Of course conservative voices who are turning p be short-listed. It’s not surprising that the franchise up on social cohesion, community engagement and with nature. I suppose it is a leftover from Victorian against the Hinkley deal say their concerns are market has come to be dominated by a small num - real consultation. The results of this have already conceptions of countryside aesthetics. Indeed there about money, not the environmental issues. But ber of bidders (many of whom are owned by foreign been seen with the ScotRail franchise, which was was undoubtedly more nature in the countryside in then the reason nuclear power cannot be cheap is state-owned railways) who can absorb the risks specified by the Scottish Government. The winners those days. But biodiversity precisely because this risky posed by bidding for a franchise. So how would a – Dutch Railways’ owned Abellio –are delivering a has plummeted since WW2. Biodiversity has plummeted technology has to have so ‘public sector’ body find the resources to put in a railway which is much more than punctual train The death of the bees is a since WWII. The death of the many safety measures fitted viable franchise bid, services but includes symptom of the over-chemi - that it becomes so expen - knowing that it might not substantial economic, calisation of the country - bees is a symptom of the over- sive. And demands for new win? At the same time, social and environmen - side. This is to such an safety measures have any public sector bidder tal benefits to Scotland. extent that botanists report chemicalisation of the increased over time. would basically have to We’ll see what the suc - that urban areas have more countryside. This has occurred accept the economic logic cessful bidder for the biodiversity (more animal Will the Greens cam - of franchising, just as the huge Northern Rail and plant species) than we to such an extent that botanists paign to stay in the EU? other bidders have to do. franchise is committed call our countryside. It is report that urban areas have The benefits to society of to delivering when the not coincidence that bees I totally agree with having a specifically ‘pub - winner is announced in can be reared more effec - more biodiversity (more animal Caroline Lucas when she lic’ bidder are limited, December. tively in urban areas than says, writing in The apart from profits going So should we just our ‘countryside’ these days. and plant species) than what we Guardian , that ‘What’s hap - back to the Treasury. leave everything as it call our countryside pening in Greece should There is no greater likeli - is? No, I don’t think we Establishment turns drive us towards greater hood of fares coming down should. But we need to against nuclear deal solidarity, not less. We must or more trains being Think again: a return to British Rail is not the utopia some be clear on what we do join Podemos and Syriza in calling for the EU to be introduced than if the think it will be. Reform has to look to other alternatives want, and going back to It is astonishing just how radically the establish - rebuilt, not retreat into our corner and cut off ties winning bidder was a monolithic BR would ment is turning against the ‘deal’ being promoted by with our fellow Europeans.’ One of the things that Stagecoach or First Group. That can only be deliv - actually be a huge step backwards. In Railpolitik: the Department of Energy and Climate Change to seem to be missed by leftist opponents of EU mem - ered by the outputs demanded by the Government, bringing railways back to communities (2013) I give the proposed nuclear power development bership (including quite a few greens) is that leaving through its franchising teams in the Department for argued for keeping a mix of operators, some of whom Hinkley C a guaranteed premium price for nuclear the EU will undermine the citizenship rights of 5 Transport. could be social enterprises, operating a mix of generation over 35 years. This is now worth £94 per million people, and potentially trigger the biggest Corbyn’s call for full nationalisation does have regional and UK-wide InterCity networks: a railway MWh, and increasing with inflation. To boot, he forced repatriation since WWII. There’s a lot of theo - more coherence. Essentially, you create a public sec - run for the common good. To get there would not be Treasury will be guaranteeing £10 rising on the left about how UK tor body – lets’ call it ‘Rail UK’ – which gradually easy (think the £10m cost of bidding), but there is billion of loans which, given the leaving the EU will be a strike takes back into public ownerships each franchise scope for co-ops and employee/passenger-owned track record of late delivery of the against ‘neoliberalism’. But I really when it comes up for renewal. To do that won’t cost mutuals partnering with larger private bidders. French design of power station doubt that the headlines after a anything and avoids the high costs of re-franchising. There’s also scope for some open access operators under consideration, is likely to be Grexit vote will be ‘UK says no to There is the slight difficulty of EU law which is structured as co-operatives. That would allow them added to the costs. So, even the £94 neoliberalism’. More like ‘UKIP becoming more, rather than less, insistent on the to build competence and financial muscle which per MWh over 35 years is likely to wins’. I thought that neoliberalism rail network being opened up for competition. But could allow them to eventually bid for franchises be a big understatement of the was firmer in the UK than the EU! putting that aside, moving towards a re-nationalised independently. The benefit for private sector bidders price that we will pay in practice. But the practical effect of a vote railway could work. Infrastructure is already owned would be having a junior partner with distinct Our grandchildren will still be pay - to leave the EU will be to end the by the state, through publicly-owned but increasing - expertise as a social enterprise. But at the same ing for this plant, which even if it residency rights of 2.5 million peo - ly embattled Network Rail. time we shouldn’t let the private sector companies goes according to plan (unlikely), will not be gener - ple in the UK and a roughly equal number of British Yet there are questions that need to be asked. off the hook either. Through the existing tools we ating (and starting its 35 year contract) until 2023. people living on the continent. I thought that the Why re-nationalise? What do we want from our rail - have, much more could be demanded from private Meanwhile energy prices are falling as what could left in general, and greens most of all cared about ways? If you just want public ownership for its own bidders for public sector contracts. well end up being the last ever oil price spike defending the rights of citizens in transit. sake, well OK but be careful what you wish for. The But back to BR? No thanks! recedes into the distance. Renewable energy costs, Apparently I’m wrong judging from the recent old British Rail was far from being a model of social - Paul Salveson’s website is www.paulsalveson.org.uk are falling – in the last of the contracts it will issue upsurge in left wingers and greens favouring (before the end to support is implemented) wind Brexit.

6 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 7 TRADE UNIONS WELFARE Going for the jugular Back to the undeserving poor

Dave Prentis explains why the Trade Union Bill is an attack on human rights Without tough opposition to Osborne’s welfare cuts Labour risks becoming an irrelevance says John Percival he right to strike is a society organisations ability to inquiry to scrutinise the failings fundamental human protest and cuts in public services of the police’s long-running ollowing the General Prime Minister, the number has Even more concerning than the right recognised across and Employment Tribunal fees undercover infiltration of hun - Election defeat Labour increased by 500,000. Osborne decision to abstain on the 2nd the democratic world. It have seen the number of cases dreds of political groups. The leadership contender and Work and Pensions Secretary Reading of the Government’s has played a crucial bought by workers collapse by remit of the inquiry - to be headed Liz Kendall warned Ian Duncan Smith, well aware of Welfare Reform and Work Bill, rTole in helping workers – whether close to 80%, something Unison is by Lord Justice Pitchford - is that the Labour party the implications of their latest which introduces many of the they are a member of a union or already challenging in the courts. being drawn up at the moment Fit had “no God-given right to policies have abolished the former cuts, was the acceptance in prin - not – to secure better conditions As Frances O’Grady from the and is due to be announced any exist”. As the leadership con - Labour government’s child pover - ciple by acting Labour leader and lives for them and their fami - TUC recently said “Dictatorships time. tenders compete to define the ty reduction targets and are seek - Harriet Harman on BBC TV’s lies. and authoritarian regimes rou - The call for this enquiry from party’s raison d'être under their ing to redefine poverty so that it Andrew Marr show of the lower - The new proposals to make it tinely clamp down on freedom of trade unionists follows revela - leadership, it is worth recalling is no longer just linked to income. ing of the household benefit cap harder to strike, to allow employ - association and spy on dissenters. tions by a whistleblower that that the party first existed to give BME families are disproportion - and cuts to child tax credit for ers to employ agency staff during Everyone who cares about civil Scotland Yard’s undercover unit, representation to the then voice - ately hit by increases in child families with more than two chil - a strike, to introduce new crimi - liberties should be worried about the Special Demonstration Squad less working class. Anyone doubt - poverty with research for the dren. In effect this was accepting nal sanctions on picketing, crimi - these plans”. (SDS), gathered intelligence on ing that a party is needed to do Department of Work and the Tories artificial division nalise other dispute related Unison has been a long time members of at least five unions. the same today needs look no fur - Pensions (DWP) estimating that between “shirkers” and “strivers”. protests and to add new surveil - member of both Liberty and Former SDS member Peter ther than Tory Chancellor of the different minority ethnic groups lance powers to the snoopers Amnesty International and is also Francis disclosed that during a Exchequer George Osborne’s July have child poverty rates six to Abandoning charter specifically for trade a member of the Human Rights four-year spell undercover infil - budget and in particular the lat - 30% above the national average union activity are all attacks on Alliance to protect the Human trating political groups, he spied est round of welfare cuts. with Pakistani and Bangladeshi Across Europe those stung by our basic rights. Social media Rights Act. We hope our allies on members of Unison, the Fire Osborne’s budget hits the most children worst affected. austerity are abandoning social activity linked to a dispute will will rally to help the biggest vol - Brigades Union, Communications vulnerable hardest. Most benefits, Arguably, however it is dis - democratic parties that fail to also need to be registered in untary movement in the UK, the Workers Union, National Union already devalued by the switch abled people who will be hardest speak up for them. There is a very advance. trade union movement. of Teachers and the National from the indexation used to calcu - hit. As a result of measures such real potential for this to happen This is yet another proposal for Though the Trade Union Bill Union of Students. late annual uprating from RPI to as the bedroom tax, which two in the UK. In Scotland voters sim - legislation that is consistent with the lower CPI and the subsequent thirds of households affected ply did not want to listen to the Conservative’s anti-human This is yet another proposal for Surveillance powers 1% up-ratings cap, will be cut fur - include someone with a disability, Labour’s message at the last rights agenda. In fact, it is very ther in real terms by a cash real terms cuts to Employment General Election feeling that the much linked to the Tories’ attack legislation that is consistent with the As the current law requires freeze. Children in large families and Support Allowance (ESA) and party had abandoned them for too on the European Convention on Conservative’s anti-human rights that surveillance powers must be previously affected by measures the closure of the Independent long. In England and Wales we Human Rights (ECHR) and the employed proportionate to any such as the household benefit cap Living Fund, disability poverty have seen an increase in direct Human Rights Act. agenda harm to privacy caused (as will now see it cut by a further increased under the coalition. action groups by-passing tradi - The ECHR protects the rights required by Article 8 of the £3,000 to £23,000 in London and Since 2010, the percentage of tional party politics which they of workers under freedom of asso - has many other threats to the European Convention on Human by £6,000 to £20,000 across the families in which someone is dis - see as of offering nothing for ciation. In a case a few years ago voice of ordinary workers across Rights and Article 12 of the rest of the United Kingdom. The abled living in absolute poverty them. Kendall is right that involving the Turkish govern - the UK, there is one other area Universal Declaration of Human Government’s own impact assess - after housing costs are taken into Labour has no divine right of ment’s ban on public sector with serious human rights impli - Rights), any expansion or change ment states that 59% of those account has risen from 23% to existence. Should Labour fail to strikes, the European Court of cations, namely the to the UK’s surveillance powers affected by this change will be 30%. stand up for those who need a Human Rights used the ECHR to Communications Data Bill. The should be proposed in primary single mothers. Research from One of the nastiest elements of voice they will either find it them - declare the law incompatible with planned legislation will enable legislation and clearly and accu - IPSOS-Mori has also indicated these cuts has been the way in selves or elsewhere. If the next Turkey’s human rights obliga - the tracking of everyone’s inter - rately described in the explanato - that 37% of those currently affect - which the Tories have sought to leader allows this to happen tions. net and social media use, and will ry notes of any Bill to allow for ed by the cap come from a minori - divide and rule. ESA appears to Labour risks becoming an irrele - strengthen the security services’ necessary transparency and full ty ethnic background; almost have been divided into a ‘deserv - vance. Mandate to intervene warranted powers for the bulk debate. triple the percentage of the non- ing’ support group and ‘undeserv - interception of communications. Unison members believe that white population across the whole ing’ work related activity group. The European Court of Human Given that the government is human rights are not only practi - of the UK according to the 2011 All the while they have cut sup - Rights may therefore have a man - currently being investigated for cal rights that improve the ser - census. Larger families in future port for both in real terms by cap - date to intervene against the mis-using its existing powers to vices we all use every day but also will also have their child tax cred - ping the personal allowances paid Conservatives’ anti-strike propos - unlawfully spy on lawful trade Dave Prentis is improve our workplaces. For it restricted to the first two chil - to both groups at a below-infla - als. Aware of this, the union activity, any additional the general example, we are pleased to be dren, essentially a two-child tion 1%. The work-related activity Conservatives have developed powers could have a significant Secretary of working with the Equality and poverty for the working class. group is now hit further with new what looks like a deliberate and impact on trade union activists Unison Human Rights Commission on claimants seeing their entitle - calculated plan to assault work - going about their lawful activi - their taskforce with employers on Welfare cuts ment cut by 30%. It is worth ers’ rights and undermine the ties. improving conditions in the clean - remembering that this is a group ECHR at the same time. In addition, by proposing to ing industry. The coalition’s welfare cuts of people who have been assessed While we, as trade unionists, criminalise picket infringements It is time for unions and civil brought progress made by the under the Work Capability rightly celebrate human rights via the Trade Union Bill, it is society to unite around a common previous Labour Government in Assessment and been found not and access to justice, our govern - much more likely that any addi - vision of individual and collective slashing child poverty to a halt. fit for work. ment is busy working on further tional surveillance powers would rights that brings all our aspira - Two million children were taken Poverty reduction was one of reforms aimed at shutting down be able to be instigated ‘legally’ in tions for a good society together. out of absolute low income after the last Labour Government’s dissent and weakening people’s disputes with employers. housing costs were taken into finest achievements. The party’s rights at work. Already, the Home Secretary Theresa May account between 1997 and 2010. response to this latest round of Speaking of the ‘undeserving’... Lobbying Act has constricted civil set up the judge-led public Since David Cameron became cuts is therefore disappointing.

8 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 9 ELECTIONS

ty for tactical voting, either by higher than the margin of loss. This brief summary of what Labour to keep the Conservatives But it is UKIP that is now the happened on May7th has not out or by the Lib-Dems to keep most significant extra force. The touched on the wider and more Labour in has largely disap - failure to even win a seat for important issues that will deter - Why Labour lost peared; and the swing to the Farage highlights the injustice of mine Labour’s future. Can Conservatives in their marginal our electoral system and may Labour win on the basis of a pop - seats meaning that they are less well serve to boost pressure for ulist social democracy now being marginal. the adoption of some form of PR, promoted by Jeremy Corbyn here Several commentators have and UKIP is likely to remain and elsewhere in Europe? Or is a So what actually happened in the 2015 election? Peter Rowlands looks at the evidence pointed to the huge challenge strong at least up to the forth - reheated Blairism the only way that Labour faces here, and of the coming referendum. Thereafter it back to power? Is our unjust elec - t is unfortunately not a car - 40 seats was a huge necessity of winning back votes is, assuming a by no means cer - toral system a barrier to change, icature to say that much blow which will not from the Conservatives if it is to tain win for remaining in, partly and is PR the only way forward? comment on the recent elec - be easily reversed, win in 2020. This is strictly not a question of how the Did Labour lose because of a tion has consisted of vigor - and obviously makes true, as a combination of votes Conservatives position them - number of factors which can be ous assertion by the Labour it much more diffi - lost to the SNP, UKIP, the selves, but it is difficult to see changed, or is its plight part of IParty right that the programme cult for Labour to Greens and of new voters and UKIP sustaining its momentum, the crisis of social democracy was too left wing, countered gain a majority. It previous non voters could suffice, although its appeal now goes well afflicting similar parties in equally vigorously by the left that also means that we but it is unlikely that all of that beyond the EU to cover immigra - Europe? it was not left wing enough! now have three dif - could happen simultaneously, tion and nostalgia for the whole Such questions and others will Supporting evidence has been ferent electoral sys - and there is no longer a big Lib- gamut of reactionary prejudice. be debated in the coming period, scant, beyond the cry of ‘1983’ tems – Northern Dem vote to be inherited. but in order to move forward we from the right, countered by Ireland, which was It is clear that unless Labour can must have a clear idea of what ‘1945’ from the left. always different, How voters saw Labour actually happened. The leadership campaign has if and now Scotland, either increase its turnout among the anything made this situation because of its domi - There have been a number of under 35s and the D/E social groups, For those interested in further worse, with fear of a Corbyn win nation by the SNP. surveys on this, most of which reading see main sources below: having elicited some desperate The main system is have highlighted similar con - or increase its support among the responses from the right and from what remains in cerns. The most important were over 65s, and preferably both, then Touchstone Blog, TUC Polling. the other candidates. While England and Wales. concern over Labour’s past and Ipsos Mori. How Britain voted in Corbyn himself, to his very great Here there were sig - future handling of the economy, winning is going to be very difficult 2015 credit, has stuck to an elaboration nificant variations immigration, too generous wel - P. Kellner, You Gov - How Britain of policy, many of his supporters between the main fare, control by the SNP and The decline of UKIP would help really voted on the blogosphere have sunk to regions, with Red Ed to blame? too lefty? how boring this narrative has become...and Miliband’s credibility as leader. the Conservatives most, but J. Curtice, IPPR - A defeat to reckon the level of their opponents. London and the wrong Anti aspiration and anti business Labour as well, although it would with It is surely only by a rational three Northern were lesser factors, as was aus - make it harder for Labour to win A. Harrop, Fabians - The mountain to analysis rather than blind asser - regions experiencing the biggest private sector are more terity, about which there has overall. climb tion that Labour can again suc - swing to Labour, with small to Conservative, those in the public been an interesting debate. Smith Institute Red Alert. Why Labour cessfully promote itself in 2020 or negative swings elsewhere, sector Labour, but less so. Those It is hardly surprising that Scotland lost before. So what of the considered including, inexplicably, Wales. with more qualifications tended Labour is viewed poorly on the evidence and opinion on the 2105 However, extra Labour votes to Labour, those with fewer to the economy, as its biggest mistake As indicated above, this now election? Much of this has not were largely at their strongest in Conservatives. was not to defend its record in effectively constitutes a separate received the attention it should seats already held by Labour and It is clear that unless Labour government prior to 2010 and electoral system, about which have done, although there will much weaker in the small towns can either increase its turnout allowing the myth that the deficit much has been written, to which hopefully be a renewed focus on and suburban areas that Labour among the under 35s and the D/E was Labour’s fault to become I do not intend to add, except to this when the official ‘Learning needed to take. social groups, or increase its sup - widely believed. Not having put say that without a significant Lessons’ enquiry is published The LibDem vote went to port among the over 65s, and forward a coherent alternative to number of Scottish MPs Labour’s next month. Labour more than any other preferably both, then winning is austerity policies means there is task is much harder. With the The most important areas of party, (24%) , but the Tories got, going to be very difficult. Labour little support for something that SNP having firmly established investigation can be grouped as: crucially, not much less at 20%, must pay urgent attention to is not policy, which is not the itself as the dominant Scottish Sometimes you find that only the and the Greens 11%. Over 65s these tasks as well as analysing same as support for austerity. party there can be no assumption • How the UK voted, by region, were twice as Conservative than its failure to capture more than a The problem with the ’immigra - that in the short run at least original will do... age, gender, class and other rele - Labour, with a much higher handful of Conservative seats, tion problem’ is that it can those seats will be won back. vant distinctions turnout, while voters became pro - and losing some to them. embrace much, from racist oppo - They got it wrong again, more Labour Briefing : • How the new electoral situation gressively more Labour as they sition to any non white immigra - badly than at any time since has changed Labour’s prospects became younger, but with a pro - The new electoral situation tion since the 1940s to justifiable 1992. To be fair it was only You can’t • How potential and actual gressively lower turnout. Women, concern with pressure on local Labour and Conservatives that Labour voters viewed the party’s except the over 65s, were more Prior to the 2015 election services caused by migrant they got badly out, by three put it down. appeal Labour than men, particularly Labour had an in-built advan - European workers. Here and on points too many for Labour and • The impact of UKIP and the the young. There was some rever - tage, all of which has not only welfare, myths abound, but the same too few for the Welcome back to Labour Briefing. Greens sion to social class alignment, but gone, but swung the other way to Labour’s rather desperate pro - Conservatives, thus enabling a (beware of dodgy imitations) • Why Scotland moved from the middle class Labour vote the Conservatives. That is before nouncements on these issues majority government to narrowly Labour to the SNP largely held, but turnout was expected boundary changes, prior to the election indicate that emerge, and experts on a hung • Why the pollsters got it wrong much higher among the more which the Tories will no doubt much work is needed here. parliament to go back to their FOR AN ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS (10 ISSUES ) SEND again Conservative inclined social seek to push through prior to the Both predictably did very well, ivory towers. Investigation into YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND A CHEQUE FOR £20 groups. The Conservatives lost next election. despite ending up with only one the reasons for this error are (PAYABLE TO LABOUR BRIEFING CO-C OPERATIVE How we voted heavily to UKIP, as did Labour to There are three main reasons MP apiece. The Greens, thanks to ongoing, with not much evidence LTD ) TO : L ABOUR BRIEFING , 7 M ALAM GARDENS , a lesser extent, mainly from the for this reversal of fortunes. the Lib-Dem implosion have of a late swing over Scotland, nor LONDON E14 OTR. S EE OUR LATEST SUBSCRIPTION I shall cite some of the main older white male working class. Firstly, Scotland, where Labour’s probably secured lasting extra of ‘shy’ Conservatives (i.e. those OFFERS ON : findings under these headings Labour remains strong among huge loss of 46 seats contrasted support, now at 4% although deliberately lying), but some evi - WWW LABOURBRIEFING CO UK and comment briefly on each. BAME voters, but the with the Conservative’s nil loss; clearly at Labour’s expense. In dence of turnout for Labour being . . . The biggest single change was Conservatives have increased the huge decline in the Lib-Dem most of the seats lost to the down by those indicating their Scotland, where Labour’s loss of their share here. Workers in the vote meaning that the opportuni - Conservatives the Green vote was intention to vote.

10 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 11 CLASS

secure and the poor and insecure. changing flexibilities in employ - rary political debate. It is an Precariat – key Labour opportunity One fertile area of engagement ment require more flexible exemplar of class relations, where is the emergence of what is employees. people are reduced to disposable labelled the 'precariat'. These assets. This is a constituency Paul Reynolds include a wide range of people Jobs waiting to be mobilised and recog - on taking a different road and reaching out to the ‘precariat’ whose employment is based on nised, and to be brought back into precarious terms: those working Whilst it is difficult to get a politics, and at the core of here is something odi - on 'zero hours' contracts; casual sense of what volumes of workers Labour's strategy should be that, ous about the Labour workers, often working with no we are describing, The English rather than simply trying to fight Party leadership legal recognition and thus unreg - Business Survey reported in 2013 the Conservatives over a hostile debate. A rise in mem - ulated employment; recurring that one in ten of the UK's entire middle class whose interests are bership and an enthusi - temporary and fixed term work, private sector workforce, some 2.3 entrenched in the status quo Tasm for supporting Jeremy those doing home based or million people - were in precari - (though they can also be drawn in Corbyn is deemed entryist sub - telecommuting work at piece - ous employment (interestingly, on some of the other political version. When it was for Tony meal rates and those forced to be the survey was discontinued in agendas for Labour). Blair it was a resurgent support self-employed, in order to lighten 2014). A TUC Labour Market C Wright Mills famously set

for the party and its policies. the burden of employment rights Report at the end of 2014 put the the agenda for a sociological y

Right wing Labour and ex-Labour s on business; those in minimum figure at one in twelve and noted imagination as dispelling anxiety k

figures, including Blair, seek to n wage employment that is demon - only one in forty new jobs were and indifference and making the a

undermine and challenge a demo - B strably lower than a 'living wage'; full time, whilst 60% of advertised connections between personal

cratic process because Corbyn m those in work with no possible jobs were self-employed and 36% troubles and public issues. That

o r

represents a different set of choic - f skills development and progres - part-time. It reported over a mil - should be the mantra for Labour

c

es as opposed to acquiescence to i sion and therefore disposable at lion zero hours contract workers - over the next five years, and s

neo-liberal agendas and corporate s any time. These forms of work 3.1 of the UK Workforce, with less Jeremy Corbyn is the only leader -

a

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power. There is no credence given have become legitimised by than half (44%) lasting for two ship candidate who appears to

a

to the possibility that a growing : claims that global competition years. represent that prospect.

t r

proportion of the population a and lower labour costs elsewhere, This is one constituency that is might be beginning to see through technological development and woefully neglected in contempo - the false promises of market and A message for Labour, a message for voters its inequalities and immiseration of the working classes, the poor trial policy, leaving the charge smaller socialist movements and and vulnerable. These are people unanswered and its rejection groups such as the Chartist have OUR HISTORY waiting to be re-politicised and weak. He should have said 'If you a definite role to play, perhaps a drawn back into the public debate get to the end of the week having more definite role than they have on social change. Labour's failure paid your bills, invested in your previously had. to address that constituency children and your family, with a Critically, there needs to be underlines its lack of direction small overdraft, and the Bank strategy. Labour is not short of OUR HISTORY - 62 and its failure to think strategi - says we need a massive bailout or targets. These include: an unre - cally about leading rather than life as you know it and access to formed and profiteering banking following prevailing politics. your money stops, would you system; corporate power that per - blame yourself or a profiteering meates and destroys local mar - Eden and Cedar Paul - Creative Revolution (1920) Electoral failure and reckless banking system?'. kets but avoids tax; privatised This is not just an issue of public utilities that profit with den Paul was the son of the publisher Charles ative effort. If one moment underlines political rhetoric, though someone social consequences; the unequal Kegan Paul. He was a medical student who assist - “Socialism… has threefold roots in the three spheres into Labour's electoral failure and lack with style and presence might burden of austerity upon the poor Eed Beatrice Webb and Charles Booth in their social which, for convenience, the human psyche has been artifi- of strategic political leadership, it have garnered more votes. Five and vulnerable, the illusion in a studies of East London before becoming a war correspon - cially divided. Intellectually, socialism is a criticism of the was at the BBC Question Time years of vacuous and timid consumer society that the con - dent for The Times in the Sino-Japanese war of 1895. He existing order; emotionally and in the realm of art it is the Leaders’ Special in which the Labour responses to austerity pol - sumer rather than the producer practiced medicine in the Far East before returning to feeling that we can replace that order by a better, by an three main party leaders had 30 itics, for the most part following or retailer are sovereign. Popular England. He was a member of the ILP and worked for order that shapes itself in the imagination of the result of minutes before a studio audience. Conservative rhetoric with limit - support could be built around all the French Socialist Party before joining the Communist our intellectual criticism of capitalism; volitionally, or in Ed Miliband was confronted by a ed opportunist counterstrokes these issues. Party. Cedar Paul, Eden Paul’s second wife was born the realm of will, it is an endeavour to create in the world questioner who asked if he such as the attack on profiteering This form of politics involves Gertrude Davenport, daughter of a composer, and stud - of objective fact what we have already conceived in the accepted that when Labour were energy companies failed. recognising that one of the most ied music. She joined the Independent Labour Party intellectual and artistic imagination. It is an endeavour to in power they overspent and If there is to be any form of significant developments in con - (ILP) in 1912 and was secretary of the British section of overthrow the capitalist order, that latest and most fin- caused the need for austerity poli - democratic socialist response, the temporary politics has been the the Women’s International Council of Socialist and ished form of ownership rule, and to replace it by the rule, tics. Miliband disagreed, but lessons of Labour's impotence exploitation and alienation of Labour Organisations from 1912 to 1919. Marrying Eden or better by the administration, of the workers. It is an instantly established that the need to be learned. The first is wide constituencies of voters who Paul in 1915, the couple translated over 130 works by attempt to put an end to exploitation, to the use of man or audience might not agree and that a party cannot quietly avoid begin to see their social ills as a French, German, Russian and Italian writers, including woman, as a mere means to another’s ends. then talked about Labour's a fight for four years and expect matter of fate rather than politi - works by Marx, Hilferding, Michels, Stalin and “We return to the idea that the revolution is a transcen- investment in public programmes to then gain electoral success. All cal choice. This involves a reintro - Plekhanov. Cedar Paul also joined the Communist Party dent creative act, wherein man’s will, guided by the accu- and the global crisis. movement building, whether elec - duction of a concept Labour have and was on the committee of the Plebs League. They pub - mulated knowledge, asserts its freedom, widening the A following questioner - who toral or social movements, is a feared for some three decades - lished Creative Revolution in 1920, subtitled A Study of bounds of freedom alike for the individual and for the worked in financial services - process of engagement that class. Labour need to begin to Communist Ergatocracy . They coined the word ‘ergatoc - race…Human freedom is, with all its inevitable limita- challenged Miliband's account as builds, so the challenge for the recognise and to promote a class racy’ to replace the more commonly used ‘dictatorship of tions, precisely one of those phenomena wherein is dis- ludicrous and said he lied, and in 2020 election begins today. At politics that does not have to the proletariat’. In 1921, they published Proletcult, which played the triumph of life over material causation. …The the ensuing exchanges used the this conjuncture, left politics will appeal to old stereotypes of mass was a study of proletarian education and culture in will to revolution is for us the real cause of the creative rev- example 'If I get to the end of the be about populist alliance build - industrial disputes - though they Britain, France, Germany and Russia. olution now in progress, a revolution that will signalise an week and can't afford to buy a ing, including those of the left in still have their place as part of enormous advance in man’s movement towards freedom. If pint, I've overspent. It means I Labour, under a broad alliance of socialist struggle. Class needs to “In the theoretical field, we wish to effect an analysis of this be no more than poetry, we say with the poet: Yet free- haven't got any money left.' progressive forces to oppose be promoted as explaining alien - socialist trends and to attempt a synthesis of contempo - dom, yet thy banner, torn but flying, streams like the thun- Miliband's response was that he Conservative politics and build ation, inequality, the distribution rary proletarian aims. In the sphere of practice, we hope derstorm AGAINST THE WIND.” could not convince that person left refutations into the public of power and wealth and the prin - to intensify and to liberate the impulse towards fresh cre - and then moved to discuss indus - consciousness. In that respect, cipal divide between the rich and

12 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 13 REFUGEE CRISIS

ignore its symptoms until they abuses. There are an estimated Nostrum programme on the burst onto our doorstep in Calais. 10,000 political prisoners in grounds that it was part of a ‘pull’ However, in response to the Eritrea. factor), there is no leadership Eritrean situation, the UK and The experiences of Eritrean around this issue and some the other European governments are refugees are key to any under - poorest parts of the EU are still Another way to standing of the roots of the cur - doing exactly the opposite of what expected to take by far the largest should be done if they seriously rent refugee crisis in the share of the burden. It would be want to stop the flow of refugees Mediterranean — and why the foolish to imagine that the from Eritrea. In an attempt to EU’s misguided aid package looks migrants and asylum-seekers will stem the flow, the EU is propos - like an attempt to either ignore or stop coming. In lawless Libya and ing to boost its aid to Eritrea. It paper it over. in other countries of origin, the says the money is meant to help forces pushing them to gamble safety? From bad to worse tackle poverty and create jobs. their lives on a sea crossing to Actually it will just prop up a tot - Italy are still in place. tering authoritarian regime for Meanwhile the situation in the At Calais thousands of longer than it would otherwise Mediterranean goes from bad to migrants (over a third of whom survive. The real cause of worse. Deaths in the sea this year are estimated to be Eritrean) are Andy Gregg explains why Eritreans are making up a large number of Eritrea’s exodus has little to do may end up being double or even making ever more desperate with poverty or lack of economic treble what they were last year. attempts to jump into lorries or Mediterranean refugees opportunities. If the Government These deaths do not include the strap themselves under Eurostar wants to stop the flow of refugees thousands who die of thirst in the so as to reach the UK - with two n April 19th 2015, an put forward by prominent MPs its neighbours and launched mili - from Eritrea it must support Libyan desert or who are kid - recent deaths inside the tunnel in overcrowded and and opinion formers (many of tary threats and border incur - attempts by the Eritrean diaspora napped and sometimes even the last month alone. ramshackle fishing whom might otherwise consider sions against some of them and human rights activists to killed for their organs by a string boat capsized a few themselves to be ‘Christians’ or at (Sudan, Yemen, Djibouti) with a bring down the Government by of kidnappers, people traffickers Pathetic miles off the tiny least marginally more so than full scale trench war with peaceful means such as economic and ISIS thugs at every step of Oisland of Lampedusa in the south Katie Hopkins). Ethiopia from 1998-2000 in which pressure, boycotts of the interna - their way North before they even What should be done? The EU’s Mediterranean Sea. The boat had Eritrea accounts for the second- over 100,000 died on both sides. tional mining companies that are get to the Mediterranean shores. response so far has been pathetic set off days earlier from Libya largest number in transit to propping up the Government and There is evidence that the smug- with arguments breaking out with hundreds of men, women Europe in the last few years, and Push factors not pull factors a serious attempt to outlaw the glers are cramming more people about how the resettlement of a and children packed on board is second only to war torn Syria illegal 2% tax that the Eritrean paltry 40,000 Syrian refugees with little to eat or drink. Worse as a producer of refugees. In 2014 Any brief examination of the government extracts from any There was hope that the Lampedusa could be shared across the 28 still many had been locked below around 35,000 Eritreans arrived situations in war-torn Syria or Eritrean in the diaspora who member states. Britain has char - deck by the traffickers and were in Europe and applied for asylum. ultra-repressive Eritrea presents needs to visit the country or disaster would at last spur Britain acteristically refused to take any unable to escape when the boat This number is increasing and the following: growing migration maintain business links or ties and the EU into action. Whilst the EU through this route and so far has inevitably capsized – probably as the Institute of Migration esti - from these areas is actually one of with family members. It must only taken a few hundred Syrian a result of those on board rushing mates that around 5000 Eritreans push factors rather than pull fac - tighten not loosen the UN agreed to reinstate a somewhat more refugees from the surrounding to one side of the vessel having are fleeing their country every tors. Few people make such dan - Sanctions that are currently in effective search and rescue mission refugee camps through its own sighted an approaching rescue month despite the Eritrean Army gerous (indeed often suicidal) place because of the Eritrean resettlement scheme. There are ship. being ordered to shoot them on journeys just to improve their eco - Government’s well attested sup - there is no leadership around this no other legal routes for such This was the most horrific inci - sight if they are found near the nomic conditions. If this is the port for Al Shabab (the islamist migrants to enter the UK and dent of its kind so far this year border areas without permission. case one might think that the group that has carried out a mur - issue and some of the poorest parts seek asylum so refugees are and marked a day when up to 900 Unlike Syria, Eritrea is not cur - European powers and the UK in derous rampage in Somalia.) of the EU are still expected to take by forced to make more and more people died in various incidents rently at war. Since gaining inde - particular might be interested in dangerous attempts to cross the across the Mediterranean includ - pendence in 1993 it has at various looking at the root causes of this A repressive dictatorship far the largest share of the burden Channel. The UK Government ing this one. Nearly half of those times fallen out with every one of migration rather than trying to must increase the resettlement who died were from Eritrea, a Since the turn of the 21st places for those people forced to tiny country of about five million Century Eritrea’s people have onto ever more vulnerable flee so that they can reach the UK people thousands of miles south - been fleeing from a repressive boats as they run short of such without risking their lives. wards on the other side of the military dictatorship that forcibly crafts on the Libyan coast. Above all the Government Libyan and Sudanese deserts in conscripts young men for indefi - Laughable attempts to destroy needs to look at the root causes of the Horn of Africa. What is hap - nite periods and has used them as such boats before they sail are these migrations on a case by case pening in Eritrea to force so many slave labour, treats prisoners like likely only to make this situation Andy Gregg is basis and try and do sensible of its young people to risk their animals and is the most repres - worse. The Economist reports Director of Race things to deal with the causes in lives through desert sands and sive regime in the world for jour - that ‘twice this year, armed on the Agenda the countries of origin rather than mountainous waves whilst at the nalists. Eritrea has been listed smugglers have forcibly taken (This is an just the symptoms when these mercy of people smugglers, kid - last in the World Press Freedom back boats used to transport asy- update of the people arrive at the shores of nappers and Islamist murderers? Index for the past eight years – lum- seekers after their pas - talk he gave at either the Mediterranean or the below even North Korea. Recently sengers were rescued by other Chartist AGM in Channel. In some countries of Welcoming? the United Nations Commission vessels — a sure sign that the June 2015) origin this may involve the judi - of Inquiry on Human Rights in boats are becoming more valu - cious use of diplomacy and aid Eritrea is an interesting case to Eritrea released a report reveal - able. In the second incident...the and in situations like Eritrea it look at as it demonstrates the stu - ing the government’s gross smugglers fired shots in the air will need to involve sanctions and pidity and lack of humanity of human rights violations which it before recovering a wooden craft international pressure to improve those who are convinced that “if claimed were tantamount to about 100 km from the Libyan human rights conditions. To con - we are in any way welcoming to “crimes against humanity”. The coast.’ tinue to stick our heads in the refugees and organise a pro - UN body accused President Isaias There was hope that the sand and refuse to act will make gramme to save them from Afewerki’s regime of committing Lampedusa disaster would at last our Government morally complic - drowning this will only result in extra-judicial executions, torture, spur Britain and the EU into it in the deaths and continued more of them coming”. This view arbitrary and incommunicado action. Whilst the EU agreed to suffering of hundreds of thou - that any humanitarian attempt to detentions, enforced disappear - reinstate a somewhat more effec- sands of people. save drowning people becomes Pictures of packed boat after boat is only the back end of the problem. The trail starts in war torn ances, sexual violence and other tive search and rescue mission part of a “pull factor”, has been Eritrea, Sudan and neighbouring countries forms of serious human right (having cut the previous Mare

14 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 15 GREECE Debt right-off for Greece

Tim Jones explains the origins of the Greek debt and lessons from Africa & Latin America

n May 2012, Kenneth Dart, a hedge fund Lenders are often guided not just by the financial manager based in the Cayman Islands, was interests of themselves and their elites such as given €400 million by European taxpayers. banks and hedge funds, but also the power that debt He had bought up a Greek debt, probably for gives them to impose their wishes on the debtor. close to half that amount, several months ear - However, the sheer scale of debt owed can give Ilier. Having never actually lent Greece any money, debtors power. Defaulting is an option, and one that just speculated on a debt, he walked off into his can cost the lender a lot of money. Cayman Islands sunset with his wad of profit from At Christmas 2001, Argentina defaulted on its the European public. debt, when it simply ran out of money. For four Two years earlier, in May 2010, it became appar - years its people had been enduring an economic cri - ent to everyone what a few insiders already knew, sis caused by closely following IMF policies through Greece could not afford to pay its debt. Hit by huge the 1990s. The proportion of the population living in falls in tourism and trade revenues after the global absolute poverty had increased from 2% to 20%. banking crisis, and with an oligarchical elite setting Following the default, the economy soon began to up a system in which it could avoid large amounts recover, and poverty rates by 2009 were below the of tax, the Greek government did not have the 2% they had been in 1990. money to make the payments coming due. This was bad news for those who had lent the Not the end of the story money: Greece, German, French, British and American banks, pension funds from the same coun - In 2005, Argentina reached a deal with 93% of its tries, offshore hedge funds and the Greek banks lenders to pay (over several years) 33 cents on every themselves. All faced another round of losses or dollar owed, with interest rates linked to the perfor - bankruptcy if Greece defaulted on its debt. mance of the Argentine economy. Those holding out Instead, a well tried and tested solution from the from this deal have included vulture funds, which global South was used. The IMF and Eurozone gov - bought up Argentine debt cheaply after the default, ernments lent more money to Greece to enable the and are seeking huge profits – estimated at 1,600% - debts to be paid. Between 2010 and 2015, of the by being paid in full. So far they have not received a money lent to Greece, 92% was used to pay off pre - penny, though two vulture funds NML Capital and vious lenders. Meanwhile, the debt remained with Aurelius Management (of Cooperative Bank Greece and the IMF and EU insisted on a course of takeover fame), have got a US judge to declare that austerity measures, removal of trade union rights Argentina is not allowed to pay anyone unless the and privatisation. vulture funds are paid in full first. So Argentina, is A simple message for Greece’s creditors currently in a bizarre situation where it is not being Tried and tested allowed by a US judge to make debt payments that it wants to make. This tried and tested solution was used because it Tim Jones is banks rather than Greece, that the policies would enough with Germany for it to earn the money to In Greece default has been considered as an is known to work – for the banks. In the 1980s and policy officer at crash the economy, and the crisis would continue for repay. Greece was one of the countries which can - Jubilee Debt option, and the government has indeed for the 1990s many countries in the global South entered the Jubilee Debt years to come. Instead, they said the banks which celled the debt. Campaign is part moment stopped paying the IMF. However, its fear debt crises due to a fall in prices for the commodi - Campaign. He had lent the money should be made to cancel some However, outside of the geopolitical alignments of a global of the retaliation by European governments to a ties they export, and a rise in US interest rates. The has campaigned of the debt. The EU and US overrode them and that saw a prospering German economy as more movement default – getting kicked out of the Euro – has been IMF and World Bank lent more money to those who for debt justice pushed through the bank bailout regardless. important that imposing punishment on a financial demanding strong. At the time of writing, Greece is close to could no longer pay their debts, whilst preaching for 15 years As has happened many and moral debtor, other freedom from the reaching a deal to be lent €90 billion more, all of austerity and liberalisation. In early 2012 I was at a through the times before, the conse - debt cancellations are hard slavery of unjust which will be used to pay previous loans, whilst conference where the former Colombian Finance Jubilee Debt quences for the Greek peo - As has happened many times won. In the 1990s and debts and a new implementing even more austerity, removal of trade Minister, Jose Antonio Ocampo, said the response Campaign and ple have been catastrophic. before, the consequences for the 2000s, the global jubilee financial system union rights and privatisation. in the 1980s "was an excellent way to deal with the Global Justice One-in-four are out of work movement pushed for debt that puts people This is not the end of the story. Just as in the US banking crisis, and an awful way to deal with Now (formerly with two-thirds of young Greek people have been cancellation for 52 impover - first. global South, the current plan being forced on the Latin American debt crisis". the World people unemployed. One-in- catastrophic. One-in-four are out ished countries, both www.cancelgree Greece will continue the crisis for many years to Between 1980 and 2000 the Latin American and Development five people now live in abso - because of the misery it kdebt.org come, which means more than ever the people of African economies shrank in per person terms, Movement). lute poverty. The debt is of work with two-thirds of young was causing, and because Greece need our solidarity. The power to threaten a whilst the debt continued to increase. More impor - www.jubileedebt higher now than it has ever much of the money had default along with solidarity of movements across tantly, between 1980 and 1990 the number of people .org.uk been since the crisis began. people unemployed. One-in-five been lent originally to odi - the EU has not been strong enough – yet. With elec - living in poverty in Latin America increased from When Syriza won the people now live in absolute ous regimes which were no tions in coming months in Spain and Ireland, 144 million to 211 million. In Africa, the number of Greek elections at the start longer in power. Finally in increasing awareness of what has actually been hap - people living in extreme poverty increased from 205 of 2015, they did so on a 2005, 25 years into the debt pening in Greece, and a wave of revulsion at the million in 1981 to 330 million by 1993. platform of demanding a debt conference to agree crisis, a scheme was setup to cancel much of the sheer vindictiveness of how Eurozone governments Representatives of these countries tried to share necessary cancellation of debts across Europe. The debt owed by the most impoverished countries. $130 have treated Syriza, there is hope that a new this history when discussions on the bailout of the idea was taken directly from a 1953 conference in billion has been cancelled to date, though to do so, approach in Europe can be won. lenders to Greece began. At the IMF Board meeting London which agreed to cancel half of Germany’s recipient countries had to implement even more of to agree the loans, countries such as India, debt. Crucially, payments on the other half were the liberalisation and privatisation conditions www.cancelgreekdebt.org Argentina and Brazil, said the bailout was just for made dependent on the rest of the world trading demanded by the IMF and World Bank.

16 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 17 GREECE SPAIN Blackmailed & bullied by neo- Spanish cities turn left liberals Rosa de la Fuente looks at political change in Madrid and Barcelona after Isidoros Diakides and Mike Davis report on events in Greece that have led May´s local elections and prospects for Podemos to a third bailout deal at a huge cost and a general election n May 24th regional and Barcelona ollowing the referen - growth in the economy, short- from outside the European municipal elections were the main dum in which Greek term relief of the crippling debt Stability Mechanism to help held in Spain. The results problems people voted strongly to servicing obligations of the next growth and job creation. Britain’s meant a clear electoral have been back their Syriza led two years, new measures to tax Tory government, for one, have change from the local con - those related government in rejecting shipping companies and phase opposed this part of the agree - sIervative majority of the previous to foreclo - tFhe original deal, in mid August out preferential treatment and ment. elections at both levels. This new sures and the Greek Parliament finally some flexibility in the implemen - This is the price for lifting the situation could open a more plu - evictions. authorised a third bailout worth tation of some of the more puni - imposed closure of banks and cap - ralist and left-oriented scenario In Madrid, £60bn. But the cost has been high tive and deflationary measures to ital controls (which damaged the for the next General elections after the Sol both in terms of the deal itself be imposed. Greek economy and caused huge coming in autumn. In Madrid and Square camp and in dividing Syriza (a third of However the reductions in pub - harm to average low-income Barcelona, for the first time new movement of its MPs and the Central lic sector wages, VAT increases on Greeks) and for remaining within citizens´ coalitions, Barcelona en May 15 2011, Committee opposed the final the vital tourism and agriculture the Euro (still an expressed desire Comú and Ahora Madrid support - different deal). PM Alexis Tsipras has sectors and privatisation of the of the majority of the Greek peo - ed by the anti-austerity party social move - called a snap general election for electricity grid company (‘unless ple). Podemos (We Can) and other left ments led by later in September to reinforce replacement measures can be parties, as well as by the grass - architects, the government’s position. found that have an equivalent Schism in Europe roots movements and neighbour - cultural The outcome of these protract - effect on competition’), water pro - hood associations, were able to activists and ed negotiations means the soli - vision, regional airports and On the broader picture, the ref - beat the traditional parties social scien - Beautiful Barcelona: political and economic struggle has created a big moment darity movement has new chal - ports, weigh heavily on the nega - erendum and the subsequent (Socialist party, People party and tists, young lenges but the fight against aus - tive side. The retirement age will marathon negotiations have the nationalist parties at people terity, cuts and privatisation, be raised to 67 and pensions brought into the open the real Catalonia). Therefore, two new tor. which now shifts back to the trimmed further. There will also nature of the politically motivated female Mayors, Ada Colau and In Barcelona and Catalonia this civic In Barcelona, Ada Colau trade union and civil society be cuts to civil service staff. blackmailing of Greece, enabling Manuela Carmena, are now lead - became the leader of Anti- movements, assumes a new and Collective bargaining and trade the European public at large to ing the future of the two most coalition gained legitimacy and Evictions Movements (PAH, more difficult dimension. union rights will come under the become for the first time aware of important cities in Spain with a became able to present a political Platform of Mortgage Victims) in On 13th July, after a marathon cosh. how far the EU has been high- different approach to social and 2009, and since then, she has 17 hours meeting of all the 19 Although the Greek govern - jacked by international financial civic problems, mainly opposing setting in which all the traditional being the most effective activist heads of the Eurozone countries, ment has managed to remove the and neo-liberal interests. It has austerity measures and their parties were viewed as distant from in the streets stopping evictions (the longest top level summit in demands to repeal all legislation also broken the hitherto solid con - impact on the cities. in Barcelona and its metropolitan the history of the EU), the passed since February which was sensus imposed on EU countries, The conditions for this outcome the social problems of the city and area, but also she was the legal ‘Institutions’ drove a very tough not consistent with earlier memo - revealing real splits within the 19 have been a combination of the spokeswoman of the Popular and vindictive draft deal with the randa, the proposed deal states Eurozone member states. France consequences of the crisis in the citizens Legislative Initiative (PLI) at the Greek Government, in exchange that ‘With the exception of the and Italy together with most urban context, the appearance of Spanish Parliament. This initia - for a third €82-86bn bailout and humanitarian crisis bill the Greek other Mediterranean states for new social movements, waves of together with the old neighbour - tive aims to change abusive mort - liquidity for the Greek banks. government will re-examine with the first time have taken a stance contentious politics after May hood associations and even squat - gage conditions and particularly The deal is set to run for three a view to amending legislation against a German-led block 15th, 2011, and the electoral ter activists, were able to begin a to claim for the legal possibility of years. There is also provision in that was introduced to counter… (which includes a handful of its pathway opened by the European new civic arena debating the use reassigning or rescheduling to the deal for longer repayment the effects of previous programme newly Europeanized small neigh - electoral success of Podemos. of city public space and fighting avoid debts after evictions. periods and restructuring of the commitments’. The government bours and Holland), with the rest The main Spanish cities have against the social effects of the Although PLI was not approved, debt . The IMF has underlined has also agreed to rising year-on- adopting a middle position, dar - suffered badly from the financial crisis. In 2014 in Madrid a new the PAH was able to show the that without debt relief the pack - year primary budget surplus tar - ing to distance themselves for the crisis and the crash of a real party Podemos, headed by charis - unfair social effects of the hous - age is unworkable. gets, albeit at lower levels than Isidoros Diakides first time from the belligerent estate bubble. International matic leader Pablo Iglesias, start - ing bubble and the financial crisis those originally demanded by the is co-chair of stance of the German govern - enterprise and financial centres ed gaining support winning five among citizens. Colau’s speech at Defeat or retreat ‘Institutions’. Greece Solidarity ment. represent more than 85% of the deputies in the European the Spanish Parliament was a There will be a Greece based Campaign. Mike While the new deal seems to be service sector. Between 1997 and Elections. The openness of the political turning point. After that, The deal represents a huge €50bn asset fund set up (effective - Davis is press consolidating further the position 2007, housing prices rose by institutional and electoral path - in Barcelona and Catalonia this compromise by the Greek govern - ly the continuation of the similar officer. Both and popularity of Tsipras within 232%, which together with the way to fight against the austerity civic coalition gained legitimacy ment, which some see as an utter fund that had been set up by the write in a Greece, the damaging divisions trend towards home ownership measures, thanks to Podemos, as and became able to present a defeat and others as a tactical previous government under a dif - personal both within Syriza itself and the (+80%) caused a sharp increase in well as the previous confluence of political setting in which all the retreat. Whatever the interpreta - ferent name), with an open ended capacity wider Greek and European anti- household debt over the past two social movements and neighbour - traditional parties were viewed tion, it represents the imposition time horizon, administered by the austerity movement, could result decades. High proportions of hood associations after May 2011, as distant from the social prob - of yet another harsh programme Greek authorities under the in shipwrecking the whole pro - household incomes were commit - created the conditions in Madrid lems of the city and citizens. of cuts aimed at making Greek supervision of the Institutions, to ject that kicked off with the ted to mortgage repayments. City to change the governing This is a great electoral workers pay for the structural raise funds to partly recapitalise January 25th elections. Syriza’s Therefore, the financial crisis had party for the first time since the change. However, neither of the and financial crisis of neo-liberal Greek banks (50%), partly repay leadership of the process will be the immediate effect of bursting Popular Party won in 1989. two new mayors has an overall capitalism. debt (25%) and invest in growth severely tested. Indubitably the Spanish real estate bubble. Without doubt the ability of majority. They have to negotiate The Greek government will (25%). This will result in disman - Greece now enters yet another House prices declined by over Manuela Carmena, a retired and to persuade other councillors stress that there is a commitment tling significant parts of the period of instability with a gener - 20% between 2007 and 2012 and judge, to lead a coalition of myri - to support their proposals. in the agreement to address the Greek public sector. al election beckoning and a new in some cities unemployment ad left and ecological parties, Despite this a new context of long term viability of the Greek The European Commission also configuration of political forces. increased around 25% of active Podemos, and Madrid´s grass - urban possibility has been opened debt, provisions for financing will aim to secure a €35bn loan population. However, in roots movements was a key fac - in Spain. 18 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 19 EUROPE

The ‘Washington Consensus’ occurs when the national debt and whose leaders were hand- What is the European Union for? along with the deadly weapons of incurred by a regime for purposes picked by herself and the US financial mass destruction – the that do not serve the best inter - Ambassador in Kiev Geoffrey lethal derivatives – have come to ests of the nation, should not be Pyatt. (See Chartist e-book on After all the initial ‘europhoria’ about social-democratic Euro-bloc, the dictate policy and policy making enforceable. Vulture capitalism is this issue, www.chartist.org.) in the western world. another equally unprepossessing However, the IMF’s treatment of reality has turned out somewhat differently writes Frank Lee Recently, however, the neo-lib - term for the policy toward Greece. the Kiev regime differs signifi - eral, neo-conservative project has Vulture funds target distressed cantly to that meted out to run into difficulties as instanced firms or countries, buy their the Greece. Firstly, a $40 billion aid n a Chartist pamphlet writ - Atlanticist, the continental in the twin crises now besetting bonds and stocks at knock-down package is granted to Ukraine ten in 2011 – Europe: The European states are no less so… the Euro-Atlanticist bloc: namely, prices, then when the company over the next four years. Unfinished Project – I proof of this is given by the cen - Greece and Ukraine. fails, sue the owner not only for Secondly, IMF managing director, wrote, ‘At the present time tral position of NATO in this the interest, but also the princi - Christine Lagarde has stated that the EU project seems to be political construction. That a mili - Greece pal. The Troika policy toward "In the event that a negotiated sItuck in no-man’s land, unable to tary alliance with a country out - Greece has been one of ‘Loan and settlement with private creditors press ahead with full political side the union (the US) has been At the outset it was wholly pre - Foreclosure’. is not reached and the country integration, or retreat back into a integrated de facto into the dictable that the accession of If Greece remains in the determines that it cannot service northern European protectionist European constitution – in terms Greece into the Eurozone was Eurozone it will continue to be its debt, the Fund can lend to Deutschmark zone, and leaving of a common foreign and security going to lead to trouble. In order bled white, privatised and ulti - Ukraine consistent with its the peripheral member states to policy – constitutes an unparal - to qualify for admission Greece mately dismembered. An exam - Lending-into-Arrears Policy" the tender mercies of unfettered, leled anomaly. For some needed to demonstrate that it ple must be made to stop others (12th June 2015). In other words globalized capitalism. However European countries (Poland, conformed to the Maastricht in the southern periphery from if Ukraine defaults, there is a there seems to be a sufficient Hungary and the Baltic States) Criteria. The Maastricht rules getting ideas. And just as strong possibility that the IMF residue of the original EU ideal - NATO’s protection - that is, that threaten to slap hefty fines on EU Thatcher was the junior partner will – in violation of its constitu - ism in the present stage of devel - of the United States against their member countries that exceed the of Reagan in shaping the EU, tion – come up with the cash. opment to persevere further with ‘Russian enemy’ - is more impor - budget deficit limit of three per - German Chancellor Angela Moreover, the IMF is also not the political struggle taking tant than their adhesion to the cent of gross domestic product. Merkel has been US President mandated to lend to states which place.’ (Ibid, page 19) European Union.’ (Samir Amin, Total government debt mustn't Obama’s enforcer in the Euro’s are at war. Of course this is hard - I believe that this view, justifi - The Implosion of Capitalism – exceed 60 percent. restive US provinces. ly an even-handed way of operat - able and plausible enough at the 2014) The Greeks had never managed Any deal between borrower and ing, but then the IMF is a highly time of writing, has now become to stick to the 60 percent debt politicised institution and a key difficult to sustain. The reason for Americanization of Europe limit, and they only adhered to lender means that both should act part of the neo-liberal, neo-con - this came in the next sentence. the three percent deficit ceiling servative global establishment. ‘One only has to consider the This Americanization of Europe with the help of blatant balance responsibly. The creditworthiness of Ukraine did miss a bond coupon Anglo-American alternatives (to – this invisible annexation - has sheet cosmetics. the borrower has to be assessed payment 17th July, setting off a the European model) and global - been achieved by a combination of Not to worry, in 2010 some default on about $19 billion of ization more generally to make soft and hard power, a cultural, creative accounting was supplied before the loan is made. But such debt, as a standoff with creditors this choice.’ political, economic and militaris - The Europe that former EU Commission President by the premier (infamous?) US rigorous investigations of this sort shows no sign of abating – it will This was, however, based on tic assimilation of the old world Jacques Delors built has been withering ever investment bank, Goldman Sachs. be interesting to see what hap - the tacit assumption that the by the new. It should be under - since he left in 1995 GS’s selling point for financial were not carried out pens in light of Madame European model of capitalism stood that the US does not do legerdemain is well known. In Lagarde’s statement. was somehow fundamentally dif - ‘partnerships’; any relationships this instance cross-currency It is interesting to note that The decision to expand the EU ferent from the Atlanticist model, the US enters into with other IMF. American policymakers swaps where government debt Victoria Nuland, a rabid neo-con, and with it NATO right up to a paradigm exemplified by the states is always on the basis of have used their influence in the issued in dollars and yen was Assistant Secretary of State for Russia’s borders, initially under US/UK axis. In the fullness of ‘Me Tarzan, You Jane.’ IMF to pursue American financial swapped for euro debt for a cer - European and Eurasian Affairs at the guidance and policies of the time this has, unfortunately, ‘It follows from this that the and foreign policy objectives. The tain period – and then exchanged the United States Department of Clinton administration, was a turned out to be a fundamental neither the European Union nor IMF offers larger loans to coun - back into the original currencies State, visited Athens on 17th clear indication that the govern - misconception. The UK of course any of its component states any tries heavily indebted to at a later date. Hey, presto! The March and had talks with Tsipras ments of the EU had come under has always been bound hand and longer have an independent for - American commercial banks figures added up (for a while at regarding the turmoil. Suffice it American domination. With this foot to the US in terms of both eign policy. The facts show that than to other countries. In addi - least). Goldman Sachs collected a to say it was geopolitics and the decisive shift the EU project was foreign and economic policy ever there is one single reality: align - tion, the IMF offers larger loans $15 billion kickback for their retention of Greece in the EU and over. It has been replaced by a since the end of imperial prefer - ment behind whatever to governments closely allied to labours. NATO she was concerned with, North Atlantic project under ence demanded by the US in Washington (perhaps in agree - the United States. New York is As members of the Eurozone rather than debt. She no doubt American command. exchange for the American loan ment with London) decides on its the second largest financial cen - the Greeks then had access to reminded Tsipras that there The hegemonist strategy of the negotiated by Keynes in 1946. own.’ (Amin – Ibid) tre (after London) with the most cheap credit from Eurozone might be consequences if Greece US – made abundantly clear in Next came the American inter - European economic policy is deeply liquid capital markets, and banks, particularly French and did not toe the EU line. As both the Wolfowitz doctrine and vention in the Suez crisis in 1956 similarly aligned to US interests in absolute terms the US is the German. But any deal between Assistant Secretary for regime Frank Lee is a the more recent enunciations and which effectively ended any inde - and US practices. This is hardly largest economy in the world. borrower and lender means that change in the State Department member of the actions of the dominant US war pendent UK foreign policy. This surprising since the US has been (Although in terms of purchasing both should act responsibly. The the redoubtable Nuland’s brief Chartist editorial party, a coalition of neo-cons, lib - dog-like devotion to American the dominant economic force power parity, the Chinese econo - creditworthiness of the borrower has been to threaten or bring board and writes eral hawks and liberal interven - imperatives – the ‘special-rela - (although now in a declining tra - my is now larger.) has to be assessed before the loan about regime change in countries on political tionists - is clearly visible behind tionship’ – then extended with the jectory) for the last 100 years. It Additionally, the ‘soft power’ is made. But such rigorous inves - of which the US and its vassals economy and the disappearance of the neo-liberal turn and the Reagan- has control of the world’s reserve the US (and UK) which includes, tigations of this sort were not car - disapprove. international European project. Thatcher counter-revolution of currency which allows it to run university economics depart - ried out. With the deregulation of politics However, it is quite possible the 1980s. True, the UK was persistent deficits on its current ments, economic think-tanks, finance such tiresome procedures Ukraine that even against US wishes and always more Atlanticist in its out - account since it can simply pay publications – The Wall Street had been done away with and geopolitical imperatives the EU look than its European neigh - for its imports by printing its own Journal, Financial Times, The banks lent to almost anyone who Earlier the peripatetic Nuland might well fracture internally due bours. However, continental currency. The US tends to domi - Economist – Business and had a pulse. The rest as we say is was also busy in Ukraine promot - to inter-state tensions and contra - Europe is as enamoured of nate the multilateral institutions Financial circles, and the univer - history. ing regime change – a process dictions. One thing is certain: in Atlanticism as the UK - and those such as the International sal language of business and But if these lenders knew that which had been going on since its present structure the EU can - more recent EU ex-communist Monetary Fund (IMF) and World diplomacy - English - have effec - borrowers would not be able to 2004 – and the installation of an not endure, nor does it deserve to. states, probably more so. Trade Organisation (WTO), hav - tively dominated and structured repay the loans, this would have oligarch-fascist regime paid for ’It is not only the UK which is ing the largest bloc of votes in the the global ideological discourse. amounted to ‘odious’ debt’. That ($5 billion according to Nuland)

20 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 21 TTIP

central level. In the case of the cation. It is only possible to make expansive rulings in previous education sector, such transat - suggestions and general recom - ISDS arbitration, which enhanced lantic arrangements could seri - mendations, while under ISDS the compensatory awards to ously affect the provision of high the government is obligated to investors and, in turn the risk of quality public education through pay often immense amounts in liability for governments. The The chill effect its application to accreditation, compensation to the foreign high cost will make government performance and quality require - investor through the arbitration think twice before introducing ments and standards. procedure. ISDS arbitration is a new legislation and therefore in What is more, education is an one-way system in which only practice ISDS arbitration may Louise Hoj Larsen show s how the proposed U S -E U trade deal heralds exclusive Member State compe - investors can sue governments, deter governments from pursuing tence in the European Union and and not the other way around. future policy goals or taking regu - privatisation of public services in Member States with a federal In other words, governments latory measures that may have system education is decided must constantly be on the defen - an impact on foreign investors exclusively on the regional level. sive. In recent years the number and consequently result in regula - he Transatlantic Trade The European Commission has of ISDS cases has exploded from tory chill effect. and Investment repeatedly claimed that public just three cases in 1995 to over Under ISDS, foreign investors Partnership (TTIP) is a services are protected in TTIP. In 600 known ISDS claims by 2015. are given exclusive rights to chal - comprehensive trade March this year the EU Trade Furthermore, ISDS currently lenge democratic laws and regula - agreement currently Commissioner Malmström and applies to between 15-20% of tions with potentially very sub - bTeing negotiated between the the US Trade Representative global investment, but a possible stantive awards in their favour European Union and the United Froman issued a joint statement inclusion of ISDS in TTIP would without being subject to any States. The TTIP negotiations on public services, in which they greatly expand the ISDS coverage responsibilities in return, while at were initiated in July 2013 and confirmed that TTIP would not of global investment as TTIP the same time governments and 10 rounds of negotiation have prevent governments from provid - would cover roughly 50-60% of citizens are ultimately paying the taken place since. Originally, the ing or supporting public services global investment flows. The price of this special subsidy only TTIP negotiators stated that they and that TTIP would not require practice of ISDS has demonstrat - available to foreign investors. aimed to conclude the talks by the the privatisation of public ser - Essentially, the ISDS mechanism end of 2014. Negotiations rapidly vices. However, so far there have TTIP could open the door to results in privatising the gains provoked strong public attention been no statements promising the and socialising the losses. and widespread criticisms of how definite exclusion of public ser - privatisation and marketisation of Currently, the negotiations on such an ambitious and unprece - vices from the scope of TTIP. The public services through rules which ISDS in TTIP have been on hold dented broad agreement would European Parliament’s TTIP rec - since March 2014 when the affect everything from the food we ommendations called for the would result in restricting the policy European Commission announced eat to the democratic decision- exclusion of all current and future space available to organise public its public consultation on ISDS. making process. TTIP is suppos - public services from TTIP. During The response to the public consul - edly about trade, but what the the last round of TTIP negotia - services as well as locking in tation was unprecedented and in negotiators intend to cover goes tions, which took place on 13-17 total as many as 150,000 submis - way beyond traditional trade July, the EU and the US privatisations in areas public sions were received. The message treaties that focused on tariffs exchanged their revised services services where this has already to the European Commission was and quotas. As a consequence, the offer and repeated the previous very clear, with 97% being negotiations have been drawn out The massive Europe-wide campaigns against this awful trade deal should be an indication of its reassurances that public services happened against the inclusion of ISDS in and a so-called fresh start was threat are protected. However, it is diffi - TTIP or generally against TTIP. announced by the negotiating cult to be reassured when the ser - ed that the government’s right to The European Commission never - parties in December last year. trade agreements. While both the promote high quality standards in vice offers are still kept secret regulate is often undermined as theless intends to go ahead with At the same time the then Senate and the House initially licensing and accreditation pro - from the public. investors challenge regulations, ISDS for now albeit with some newly elected European voted against fast track, after a cesses could potentially be inter - which they feel violate their reforms of the current ISDS Parliament (EP) started drafting fierce fight Obama recently man - preted as a ‘disguised barrier to Sue the host state rights to access a market or mechanism. So far no legal pro - its own recommendations on the aged to get the fast track bill trade’ or ‘more burdensome than affects their future profits. In posal has been presented, but in controversial TTIP negotiations. passed in the Congress. necessary’. This implies that a The most controversial aspect addition, ISDS arbitration is an May the Commission suggested In all 15 of the European government would have to prove of the TTIP negotiations concerns extremely expensive affair for a establishing an international Parliament’s committees were Locking in privatisations that its regulations are needed to investment protection and espe - government to be involved in. On investment court with tenured involved in the process of drawing achieve a specific policy goal and cially the idea of including the average the cost of defending judges in the long run, while in up the EP’s recommendations and The serious risks posed to pub - the threshold for what is consid - flawed Investor-State Dispute ISDS cases amounts to $8 million the meantime it wants to include the final result was adopted with lic services by legally binding ered necessary may be set at a Settlement (ISDS) mechanism and in addition comes the high- ISDS provisions in TTIP. clear majority on 8 July 2015. In trade rules in TTIP is a particu - very high level in a trade agree - into TTIP. ISDS enables foreign level of compensation awarded in Unfortunately, the European the United States, trade discus - larly strong concern of trade ment aimed at increasing levels of investors to sue the host state for favour of investors. Louise Hoj Parliament’s recommendations sions have predominantly con - unions, who demand an explicit liberalisation. its policies, not in the domestic Larsen is sent an ambiguous message cerned the Trans-Pacific carve-out of public services in the However, this idea of assessing courts available to everybody else, Foreign investors Programme regarding the possible inclusion of Partnership (TPP) between the core text. Otherwise, TTIP could the necessity of regulations is but rather in special, private arbi - Officer for ISDS in TTIP with the wording United States and several coun - open the door to privatisation and contrary to the democratic deci - tration courts that are only open Past cases have revealed that Privatisation & ”to replace the ISDS system with tries of the Pacific Rim and to a marketisation of public services sion-making process in which reg - to foreign investors. Moreover, foreign investors have been International a new system for resolving dis - lesser TTIP. In the State of Union through rules which would result ulations are established. with ISDS foreign investors can awarded tremendous amounts in Trade issues in putes between investors and 2014, President Obama called in restricting the policy space Regulations in democratic soci - make the choice if they want to compensation, even when the Education and states”. upon the Congress to endorse his available to organise public ser - eties are established not on the skip the domestic courts, unlike actual investment was very limit - Public Services, trade agenda and in particular to vices as well as locking in privati - basis of most burdensome or least domestic investors or citizens. ed or no real investments were European Trade grant the President the Trade sations in areas public services burdensome legislation, but as a The contrast between ISDS and employed. This situation is clear - Union Committee Promotion Authority (TPA), where this has already happened. result of a compromise. international human rights law is ly illustrated by the Al-Kharafi for Education For a more detailed case from the which is also known as fast track. In particular, market access rules Furthermore, the EU’s proposed striking. In the case of interna - versus Libya case where the (part of ETUC) ETUCE against the inclusion of Fast track gives the US President could seriously restrict govern - regulatory cooperation is worry - tional human rights law there is investor was awarded $935 mil - education in TTIP see: the authority to negotiate inter - ments in limiting the entry and ing as it intends to set transat - no legally enforceable mechanism lion in lost profit based on an national trade agreements and regulate the quality of foreign pri - lantic requirements and related to oblige the government to meet investment of $5 million. http://bit.ly/1E6OFFt limits the role of the Congress to vate and for-profit providers. procedures for the supply or use for example its commitments to Research shows that there has that of approval or rejection of Under trade rules any measure to of a service at central and non- ensuring the child’s right to edu - been a strong tendency towards

22 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 23 WESTMINSTER FILM REVIEW Ending the elective dictatorship Imprisonment – Iranian Style

Trevor Fisher asks whatever happened to the post election debate? Patrick hat if anything does the treatment in The dog hits the on button on the television and we his own country of army cinematog - see a graphic news report about the banning of the Mulcahy rapher turned film director, Jafar ownership of dogs. The writer has our complete he election on May 7th Guardian , has grasped this, and but ineffective demos. The leader - Panahi, tell us about Iran’s commit - sympathy; it helps that the dog is remarkably cam - has failed to spark any the old Blairite establishment has ship candidates could hardly be on ment to international agreements? era friendly and devoted to the writer. deep political analysis, remained stuck in calling for a expected to start a big debate on WOn 14th July, Iran concluded a deal with Events take a mysterious turn when a couple, partly because the polls centre movement, although its what Labour did wrong, but the multiple American and European negotiators to limit its brother and sister (Hadi Saeedi, Maryam Moqadam) were so wildly out that space has vanished. Indeed, the lack of any sense that it is in a nuclear programme in exchange for the easing of appear at his open door. How did they get in? The nTo expectation of what happened realities New Labour establishment shows corner and has to fight its way sanctions. In March 2010, Panahi was arrested for brother takes a bottle of spirits and asks the writer made sense in the event. However no idea that its world is vanishing out on big issues is still not evi - voicing support to an opposition candidate in the to look after his sister who is suicidal. He then dis - the Tories, who did not expect inside and outside the Party. dent. Some say Labour has five 2009 Presidential election. He was released on bail appears. The young woman, Melika, evaded capture this windfall victory, have a vest- Whatever happens in the leader - years to sort itself. Not with in May 2010 after a period of hunger strike. In by wandering into the sea. Now her clothes and ed interest in not promoting ship election, the party activists Mayoral elections, Scottish and December 2010, he was sentenced to six years in mobile phone are wet. Having asked for assistance debate on the elected dictatorship have turned away from the candi - Welsh elections, and not to be for - prison and banned from making films for 20 years. and wandered up to the roof, she puts the writer on that came to them. Nor do the date most obviously linked to the gotten local elections to fight next Yet since the judgement, the spot by asking, other forces in play, weak though Blair current, Liz Kendall. The year. Something at least ought to Panahi has completed ‘where’s the dog?’ they are. Labour is currently con- only hard evidence at time of have been said by candidates three films, award win - It is fair to say that ducting a leadership election in writing is that 147 CLPs nomi - about the local government scene, ners all, and is able to what follows isn’t nat - which all the candidates are offer- nated Corbyn (38%), 110 Andy which is taking broadside after travel freely within Iran. uralistic. The woman ing programmes as though they Burnham (29%), 109 Yvette broadside from the Tories. But His is not the sentence disappears and reap - could implement them, and there Cooper (29%) and 18 Liz Kendall that would raise the Elephant in one might expect, but a pears at will, almost as is no grasp that they cannot deliv- (5%). Some 267 CLPs did not the Living Room question, the subtler form of incarcer - a figment of the writ - er anything. There are four years nominate (41%). deficit and austerity. ation. Panahi is forbid - er’s conscience, testing and nine months before the elec - den to travel overseas his commitment to the tion. Labour Party culture remains focused Tory lies and his films are banned screenplay he is writ - Labour Party culture remains from Iranian cinemas, ing which at one point focused on winning a on winning a Westminster election It’s not possible to expect the only seen in the United she scatters about the Westminster election under the under the current rules, though this leadership candidates to sort States and Europe. room. After the villa is current rules, though this is a these big issues, they were Subsequently, in his broken into, Panahi remote possibility and the essen - is a remote possibility and the dropped into a campaign they own country, Panahi has himself appears, set - tial task has to be to build bridges never expected to happen. But been reclaimed as an ting about the repair of across the political spectrum for a essential task has to be to build only Yvette Cooper has attacked artist able to overcome a large window. The new Westminster politics which bridges across the political spectrum the Tories for lying during the his restrictions. The house is his and would marginalise at the level of election. Two thoughts occur for Golden Bear awarded to although the writer public opinion the current for a new Westminster politics the next period. The first is that his latest film, Taxi and the woman are unquestioned acceptance of Tory the democratic deficit has to be a Teheran was celebrated also present, he cannot totalitarianism. The Tory Party Despite this, the Blairites con - priority for the extra parliamen - Closed Curtain by the Iranian Ministry see them. At one point, now released from the limited tinue to believe the smart politics tary movement. The Tories may opens in cinemas of Culture in what the woman tells the restraint of the LibDems are is to woo the right – as the Centre gerrymander the system so no on 4th might be judged an act writer to leave. ‘What showing that they are fundamen- has collapsed, this remains the other party can win, in England September of spin. matters is who belongs talist operators with a hyper major option, with Jim Murphy at least. Secondly, whoever wins, Panahi’s three films here.’ This becomes an Thatcherite agenda. The abolition talking to Policy Exchange in a mid term election for the leader weren’t made with state existential question of grants for poor students to go June – a body set up in part by has to be on the agenda. Labour approval. The first, This about citizenship: can to university is matched by Michael Gove – the editor of the cannot give its leader a five year Is Not a Film, was a country elected by its attacks on unions, notably the very Blairite New Statesman blank cheque, with only a parlia - smuggled out of the people disown selected abolition of check off for union writing in the Daily Telegraph on mentary revolt – which does not country on a USB stick citizens who disagree subscriptions so that union mem- how the next leader must learn happen in the Labour Party – as hidden in a cake and and confine them to a bership is cut, with more to come. from Cameron and Ed Balls con - its only way to call a halt. screened at the 2011 space where their The most ominous steps are fur - tinuing his obsession with busi - This last assumes there will be Cannes Film Festival. Shot on a DV camera and views mean nothing? ther reductions of the right to reg- ness. Business is important, in no foolish attempt to set aside the iPhone, it features the housebound Panahi talking One line resonates: ‘all life is memories; sweet ister and vote at elections, which the modern world, no party can leadership result. The process has about his work and acting out an unproduced memories, bitter memories.’ The memories can also Mary Southcott pointed out in succeed if business is hostile. been absurd and the £3 member - screenplay. The second, Closed Curtain , co-directed feature unexplained feelings that prompt Panahi to Chartist 275. This should be the ship carte blanche for non sup - with Kambozia Partovi, who also appears in the leave his villa at the end. basis of a cross party resistance Big but ineffective demos porters to enter the process. But movie, is more formally daring, but with the camera Multiple realities: in Iran, there is a difference of movement. It does not figure in there is no real evidence of organ - never leaving Panahi’s well-appointed villa on the opinion between the elected President and the any current debate. But the sense that New Labour ised entryism. The establishment Caspian Sea. Supreme Ruler. Two points of view are allowed to The Liberal Democrat collapse could not at the very least shut up has made many mistakes, but to It opens with an extreme long shot of the writer co-exist. The film suggests a country that switches sets the tone for the next five in a world that was reacting badly set aside the result on current (Partovi) being dropped off by a car and walking between impulses. One reality (sweet) crashes into years, marking the unexpected to its programme is a sign of a data would be incredibly damag - towards the house. The driver follows behind him. the rocks like waves, another (bitter) replaces it. demolition not only of a party deeper problem for the post elec - ing. The post election situation Once inside, the writer unzips his bag and out The suggestion is that Iran cannot be relied upon to which had made major advances tion situation – the political cul - has barely figured in the leader - climbs a dog, who is entertained with a tennis ball. project one course of action, but the curtain of the for forty years, but the collapse of ture does not know that the world ship campaign. That yawning gap The dog follows him upstairs to the top of the house, title, symbolically black, covers up the operation of the old centre politics. As the Lib changed on May 7th. The Tories will have to be addressed, by the but the camera stops in a doorway. It can go so far the country. One of the tensest moments features Dems have been replaced by intend to make the changes per - extra parliamentary movement if but no further for fear of being seen from the out - the writer peeping behind the curtain. We can’t see UKIP, despite their lack of seats, manent, on a vote of 36.5% of the political establishment cannot side. what he sees, but his neck is exposed, vulnerable. the political spectrum has moved those who turned out. rise to the task. The writer shaves off his hair to disguise his It’s this image that resonates in a fine, challenging to the right. None of the commen- The anti-austerity campaign appearance and sets about sealing all the windows film. tariat, particularly on The has far to go to move beyond big with black curtains so he cannot be seen outside.

24 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 25 BOOK REVIEW Know your enemy Time to end economic

Duncan BLAIR INC Charles Clarke, the former Progress and Unite, with other Francis Beckett, David Hencke and Blairite minister (and once poten - intra party networks in effect injustice Bowie Nick Kochan tial successor) who runs a being marginalised. The promo - (John Blake, £20) Religion and Society course at tion of Liz Kendall by Progress for on the Lancaster University. The foun - the leadership is an attempt by THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS continuing ith Tony Blair’s interven - dation staff includes Ed Husain, the Blairites to take back control Dave Michael Calderbank also Co-Editor of Red Pepper and without parallel in post-war tion on the Labour lead - founder director of Quillam, the of the Labour Party. The abuse (Comerford & Miller, £9.95) Secretary of my Constituency Britain. He quotes a Shelter influence of Wership contest, this book Muslim anti fundamentalist hurled by Progress supporters Lister on Labour Party – Brent Central. report that the number of people is a timely investigation into group. such as former Blairite staffer, n Tory Britain it is no longer His book provides comprehensive struggling to pay their rent or Tony Blair Blair’s activities since resigning The book also investigates John McTernan as well as by demonisi acceptable to make racist, sex- coverage of all the elements that mortgage rose by 44% in 2014 to as Prime Minister in June 2007. Blair’s private consultancy work, Blair himself at both Jeremy ng the Iist or homophobic remarks. make up the attack on the living 7.8 million and points out that by It is perhaps unusual for an ex- through Tony Blair Associates – Corbyn and those MPs who are However the one group that we standards of many people. It was 2014 there were 5¼ million work - PM to be worthy of a book on his his role in advising authoritarian prepared to either work with poor are positively encouraged to published in the final months of ers paid below the minimum life in retirement – but Blair is governments in Burma, Corbyn or at least engage in demonise is the poor. The the Coalition Government and wage. The author also exposes the far from retired. He was only 54 Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Belarus debate with Corbyn’s position, Conservative Party and the therefore does not take account of myth of idle people on benefits when he was replaced by his long- for example, promoting demonstrates the desperation of media present an image of people George Osborne’s latest regres - and gives the example of over term rival Gordon Brown, and democratisation in very general the Blairites - what they thought on benefits lying around, drinking sive budget. Michael provides 1700 people applying for eight clearly felt that his skills and wis - terms, but in practice providing was a guaranteed succession may beer and watching wall to wall swathes of statistics but also his low paid jobs at Costa Coffee in dom could still be of service to the public relations cover for some of now be uncertain. The Blairites television all day, which is clearly remedies for each area that he Nottingham. world. the most undemocratic regimes in threat to split the party shows largely untrue. We know, for describes. He also comments on On the stopping of benefits, in Blair’s main retirement posi - the world. This role often linked their lack of willingness to partic - instance, that many people on less quantifiable aspects around 2013 the DWP issued 897,000 tion was as the quarter represen - him to acting as a broker for ipate with Labour Party col - benefits are in work. The huge the quality of life. sanctions, including over 100,000 tative in the Middle East, a post western companies seeking to leagues in a broader alliance. growth of food banks over the This book provides a superb against disabled people. The from which he resigned in June invest in lucrative trade deals, Progressites are desperate to get past few years is evidence of the introduction to the issues for new - homeless charity Crisis had this year. Blair’s role in the Iraq often in relation to oil. back into power, but have no wish extent to which a considerable comers to Left politics, especially reported people being sanctioned war and his known pro-Israeli It is perhaps the chapter on to work in a party which is not group of people are suffering. Yet young people, and people who for missing appointments that position clearly limited his ability Blair’s return to British politics under their control. This is not this Government intends to hit have bought into Tory or UKIP they were unaware of. The cuts in to be an effective mediator. The that may be of most interest to about pragmatism or idealism or them even harder and the current myths, and there is useful infor - benefits also affect people’s men - book however focuses on Blair’s Chartist readers. The book traces about which form of socialism is Labour leadership appears happy mation for us all to campaign tal health causing growing anxi - network of initiatives. The Africa Blair’s involvement in Progress best for the country – this is a to go along with this, at least to with. Unfortunately the people ety to people already struggling to Apologies to governance initiative places as the organised Blairite faction crude struggle for power. It will some extent. who really need to read this book make ends meet. It is surely James Blair’s appointees as consultants within the Labour Party. The get nasty. The role of Blair in this Michael Calderbank is a are unlikely to do so. shameful that parliamentary Sweetland within the governments of Sierra authors investigate Progress’s struggle should not be underesti - researcher for trade unions and Michael points out that the Labour has found it so difficult to whose name we Leone and Rwanda. The Tony funding and activities as a ‘party mated. This is one former Prime this book is based on research poverty and debt into which a sec - oppose benefit cuts. misspelt as Blair Faith Foundation seeks within a party’ and demonstrate Minister who really should retire which he undertook for the Trade tion of the population has been Sweetman in our both to promote the role of faith the extent of the group’s profes - from politics. All Chartist sup - Union Coordinating Group. He is driven following the 2008 crash is last issue. in politics and combat religious sionalism and intervention in porters need to read this book. extremism – focusing on combat - local party politics including can - Know your enemy. ing Muslim extremism. The didate selection, focusing on the organisation has links with increasing rivalry between Why Britain belongs to someone Living history else PRIVATE ISLAND REBEL FOOTPRINTS - A GUIDE TO Tony rises, Bloomsbury radicals, the Despard. Their biographies inter - James Meek benefit private overseas compa - favoured large (sometimes public Mike Davis UNCOVERING LONDON’S RADICAL Suffragettes speaking truth to weave in the heady formative Manzi on (Verso, £12.99) nies. Meek takes care to argue sector) corporations. When on a HISTORY David Rosenberg power in Westminster and immi - period of the London socialist and that his objection is not founded viewed together, the overwhelm - (Pluto Press, £10.99) grant agitators and anarchists in Labour movement. on xenophobia but that having to ing (human and financial) cost of ames Meek has been a fear- Spitalfields and Brick Lane Rosenberg tells the stories of privatizin pay for these core public services these privatisation initiatives has London some, although studiously his is a unique book. It is organising for their rights. A huge London’s inspiring radicals along - (most of which we cannot avoid been remarkable and the book g the balanced analyst of the mar- both history and travel number of other famous and for - side the significant buildings and J using) constitutes a form of taxa - provides perhaps the best account guide with ketisation of public sector services guide. Based on the gotten radical figures come to life spaces they occupied with a richly tion, which has been sold to ‘for - to date of the implications of a T public and his writings on the politics of a author’s actual city walks, in ten in this inner urban metropolis researched narrative. Never dry, eign governments over whom we short-term, ideologically-driven privatisation will be familiar to chapters the book takes us from that is London. always engrossing, this account sector have even less control than our strategy pursued without consid - regular readers of the London difference 1830s Chartists in Clerkenwell Much of the history has been brings us to the 1930s. I’d love to own’. eration of longer-term conse - Review of Books. This book is a Green to 1930s anti-fascists on written before but what is unique see the story brought up to the Meek’s skills as a novelist as quences; whether for workers, collection and slight reworking of Cable Street. Along the way we about Rosenberg’s account is the end of the 20th century. This is well as journalist makes compul - consumers, residents, patients, some of these earlier articles and discover Tom Mann, Ben Tillett guided DIY walks with maps and living history in the best tradi - sive reading, interspersing per - passengers or taxpayers. Meek focuses on a range of pri- and John Burns, the dockers and points of interest at the end of tions of History Workshop. Buy sonal stories with penetrating My only real criticism is that vatisation policies within: the gas worker’s leaders who along - each chapter. His venture this book and better still try some analysis of the consequences of the book would benefit from more postal service, rail, water, elec- side the Bryant and May match transpontine to Battersea reveals of the walks. If you’re lucky you policy decisions made by govern - original, contemporary material - tricity, health and housing. women, aided by Eleanor Marx the passage to office of London’s might even get Dave to take you ment. Whilst refusing to idealise the inclusion of an index would He provides an invaluable and Annie Besant, set London first Black Communist MP round himself. Check his website. earlier forms of service provision, also be useful. Nevertheless, account of the way that the initial trade unionism alight (metaphori - Shapurji Saklatvala, backed by It should become a radical urban Meek clearly shows how the liber - Private Island is essential read - objectives (to increase share own- cally) in the 1880s. We learn of the first Black Labour mayor, rambler’s reference bible. alisation of core public services ing for all who share a concern at ership and to diffuse assets George Lansbury leader of the John Archer, supported by a lead - (without taking adequate steps to the seemingly inexorable decline amongst the wider public) were Poplar councillors resisting rate ing leftist Suffragette Charlotte support them) has directly of the UK public realm. systematically undermined to 26 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 27 BOOK REVIEWS Socialist seeds, capitalist Upending democracy CIA style

Mike OPERATION AJAX gripping, visually stunning tale of fruit Daniel Burwen and Mike de Seve plots, skullduggery and violence Davis on (Verso, £14.99) to unseat Mossadegh. Nigel MAGNIFICENT AND BEGGAR LAND enue to run the war. (American hugely in Portugal and elsewhere, Twenty years before the over- Ricardo Soares de Oliveira companies who were exploiting having ended up on the losing a ubtitled ‘The story of the throw of Allende in Chile a team Watt on (Hurst, £25) the oil were protected by Cuban side when it tried to intervene in CIA Coup that remade the of operatives stretching up to graphic President Eisenhower set in forces against the US-supported Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast. It SMiddle East’ this graphic Angola ack in the 80s a number of rebels!) In 1991 MPLA changed offers money not troops. depiction novel is timely and revelatory. motion a train of events that us on the left supported the from being a vanguard party to This new Angola may be a suc - Timely because Iran and the US would set back democracy in the BMozambique Angola being a mass party and it ditched cess story on its own terms but it of violent have just negotiated a deal to Middle East, establish a corrupt Committee (MAC) which worked socialism. Its support was mainly is far from its socialist origins. In relax sanctions in return for a monarchical dictator, restore in solidarity with the MPLA, the in Luanda and along the coast 2012 GDP per capita was US$ CIA-led moratorium of nuclear weapons western oil power, and lead to the party that has ruled Angola since where most people lived. It was 5,700 and since a large majority development in Iran. Revealing Islamic revolution of 1979. its independence from Portugal in (and is) dominated by the urban are dirt poor this illustrates the regime because the bigger picture of mod - Based on Stephen Kinzer’s ‘All 1975. In that same year much rich, including a visible number obscene inequality that exists. ern imperialism is exposed. the Shah’s Men: a Middle East more effective solidarity came of mestizos and white Angolans. Promises were made at the last change Before 1953 Iran (Persia) was Coup & the Roots of Middle East from the Cuban military who lit - The victory in 2002 coupled with election but there is no real sign pretty much a colony of Britain. Prime Minister demanded a 50-50 Terror’, Operation Ajax demon- erally saved the country for the high oil prices led to a decade of of a desire for social justice. Its huge oil reserves were ‘owned’ split for the oil. Following British strates the early workings of this MPLA. Angola was a war zone extravagant construction, first Politically MPLA is so dominant by the Anglo-Iranian Oil company intrigues the democratically elect - covert, but deadly arm of US from the last years of Portuguese repairing infrastructure after the that only a complete crash in oil (now BP). ed Mohammed Mossadegh threat - imperialism in the era of the Cold rule until the death in 2002 of 50 years of war, then huge and and diamond prices could bring it The story involves Winston ened nationalisation. Then the War. If you want to know why so Jonas Savimbi, the leader of often useless prestige projects down. There are, however, some Churchill, Clement Attlee, a cor - United States moved in. The real many Middle East states are in UNITA which had been support - (mostly built by the Chinese in signs of growing opposition, not rupt playboy Shah, and civil ser - villains of the story are the CIA. the grip of tyrants, some compli- ed by South Africa and the USA. exchange for oil) such as stadi - only in the rural areas where vice lackeys in which none comes In the best traditions of thriller ant, some independent of western This book gives a very detailed ums for the Africa Cup of UNITA used to be strong. out well. For fifty years the writing the author and illustrator capitalism, read this account, account of the political and eco - Nations, big airports in small The author has written a seri - British had given a paltry amount of this hard-hitting indictment of made all the more powerful by nomic developments in the coun - towns, hotels and inappropriate ous study giving credit where it is to Iran and baulked when a new western interference unfold a the comic format. try in the first decade of peace housing. Politicians and army due: he points out that no vindic - that followed. men enriched themselves and the tiveness has been shown to the Angola is not like any other former state firms were priva - losers in the civil war and that African state: its civil war gave tised and bought by the new rich. peace is now sustainable. Regular Looting today total victory to one side. Its natu - This new capitalist state still parliamentary elections have ral resources, mainly oil, are vast has a dual structure: the presi - been held. He does not ignore the and effectively controlled. Its ter - dent controls most things, includ - downside. The president has ritory is huge and its population ing Sonangol’s profits, separately never been elected (and the suc - is small. Jose Eduardo dos Santos from the formal state structure. cession risks going to a member of Stephen THE LOOTING MACHINE Nigeria, whose oil industry The FT deserves full credit for has been president since 1979 A sovereign wealth fund has been dos Santos’ extremely rich fami - Marks Tom Burgis should make it one of the world’s allowing Burgis the time and and he kept the well run and created in parallel. With so much ly), and most of the population on (William Collins, £20) richest countries in energy, but resources to pursue his forensic, internationally respected wealth Angola is proud and confi - has been left in dire poverty - an African where corruption and outright angry yet controlled investiga - petroleum company, Sonangol, dent. It behaves more like a Gulf opportunity for real development frica has 13% of the world’s theft means that the electricity tion. As he reveals in an introduc - separate from the socialist state, sheikhdom than an African post- has been wasted. wealth population, but only 2% of supply is so intermittent and tory note he wrote it in effect as a and ensured it provided the rev - conflict country. It has invested Aits GDP. Yet it has an esti - inadequate as to supply enough form of therapy after a delayed mated 15% of the world’s oil power for one toaster for every 44 breakdown attack of PTSD, reserves, 40% of its gold, 80% of citizens, thus destroying the haunted by images of the man - its platinum, totalling an estimat - country’s textile industry. gled corpses of the victims of a Sustainable development? ed third of the planet’s hydrocar - It takes in the Democratic ‘tribal’ massacre he witnessed in bon and mineral resources. What Republic of Congo, the poorest northern Nigeria. seems a paradox is in effect country in the world, where pri - Behind the seemingly pointless Africa’s distinctive form of the vate militias fight for control of and murderous internal conflicts GHOST CITIES OF CHINA asked to lecture on the role of the capitalism, with local communist ‘resources curse’. key raw materials such as dia - which make up much of the Duncan Wade Shepard London Green Belt and our coun - leaders competing with each Two thirds of Africa’s exports monds and coltan, essential for ‘news’ we get from Africa, are Bowie (Zed Books, £14.99) try parks! Shepard describes other to develop the highest tower are natural resources which total mobile phones and consumer elec - conflicts for control over newly created cities in Inner or the biggest shopping mall. more than seven times the vol - tronics, for the profit of an elite resources and the consequent his book is a study of urban Mongolia, and copycat towns such There appears to be a lack of ume of foreign aid flowing in the network of corrupt local officials, wealth and in which we are not consider development in China by a as a near exact recreation of the national planning and little opposite direction - without organised criminals and shadowy the distant and superior s a Ttravel writer and blogger Austrian village of Hallstatt and employment in these new cities, counting the total at least equal foreign businessmen and ‘inter - observers we are encouraged to (www.vagabondjoirney.com). It is an English Thames-side town. with many of the new flats being to ‘aid’ which disappears through mediaries’. imagine ourselves to be. lesson part of a series of slim volumes in While Shepard describes the flats bought for investment rather corruption and tax evasion. In Angola, Zimbabwe, South Let us hope that we do not Zed’s Asian Arguments series. without residents and the malls than for occupation. effect Africa is the site and victim Africa; Vicente, Katumba, Sam have to go through the same per - for the Having attended a planning con - without shoppers, and the admin - This book serves as a warning of a colossal looting machine Pa, Dan Gertler; the names and sonal trauma as Burgis in order ference in Shanghai in December istrators and students sent to to those who promote new garden which Tom Burgis, Investigations locations may vary, but an over - to absorb his conclusion; ‘We pre - UK 2013, I was taken to visit some of these new towns as pioneers, he cities in the UK without consider - Correspondent at the Financial lapping network of interests fer not to think of the mothers of the ghost cities Shepard describes also demonstrates that some of ing who could actually live there, Times , has analysed and recur, and always, lest we feel Eastern Congo, the slum dwellers – acres of high rise residential the earlier cities have in time whether there are employment described in this lucid impas - smug, to the ultimate benefit of of Luanda and the miners of developments, with no residents been populated and that the ghost and housing opportunities for a sioned analysis. ‘respectable’ household name cor - Marange as we talk on our and was shown plans for a new city phenomenon has perhaps diverse population and whether a He substantiates his broader porations in which our pension phones, fill up our cars, and pro - town for a million people, based been exaggerated. genuinely sustainable new com - picture with acutely observed money is invested, and which pose to our lovers. As long as we on a country park where not a These developments do repre - munity can actually be created. case studies and pen portraits. make and market the consumer go on choosing to avert our gaze, single dog was visible. I was sent a form of state controlled His scope takes the reader to products on which we rely. the looting machine will endure’.

28 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 29 BOOK REVIEWS War on Gaza Mountains of debt Ben THE 51 DAY WAR Max Blumenthal all too rarely discussed notion Frank Lee Francis on (Nation Books, £14.99) within Israeli political thinking DEBTONATOR markets makes rich people richer Shareholding democracies, peo - that promotes regular military on the Andrew MacNally as the price of their assets ples’ capitalism, stakeholder capi - Israeli s we mark the first campaigns of the type that have (Elliott and Thompson, £9.99) increases. Those who hold what talism, co-operative societies, are anniversary of last sum - devastated Gaza three times bigger assets they have in cash will get not a new idea. They have been aggressio Amer’s brutal military since 2009. K public debt is now the sticky end of the stick, as around for at least a couple of assault on the Gaza strip, Max These increasingly brutal shifts they roughly 100% of GDP. Add their disposable income becomes centuries, but the vested inter - n Blumenthal provides a timely in Israeli military policy are Uin corporate, personal, increasingly devalued by infla - ests, and capitalism’s powerful, reminder of the humanitarian served by the move to the right in come ... household and financial debt and tion. Bear in mind also that QE immanent imperatives, have specifics of that campaign. domestic politics, which the the figure balloons to almost has enabled commercial banks to pushed and shaped the system As one of few Western journal - author mentions too briefly but 600% of GDP. Neither is this spe - borrow at miniscule rates of according to their own logic. ists to be present in Gaza at enough to make the reader aware cific to the UK, but is a global interest from the central banks, Most shares for example (equi - points during the 51 day cam - of a new political context. It is in phenomenon. Of course in polite 0.25% in the US, 0.5% in the UK. ty financing) are in any case held paign, Blumenthal is able to offer this context that, during times of company such matters are not The commercial banks then lend by institutional investors – main - a unique perspective on the war, expression of disagreement mentioned, and the conventional these monies back to their respec - ly pension funds and insurance events that the Israeli military or the promotion of peace become wisdom holds that somehow debt tive treasuries at 3% - nice ‘work’ companies. These are highly labelled ‘Operation Protective dangerous lines to take for the doesn’t matter. All very reassur - if you can get it: money for noth - mobile organizations whose prin - Edge’. Indeed, the main focus of average citizen, and almost ing one might suppose. However, ing, as Dire Straits used to sing. cipal objective is dividend max - this book is a series of on-the- impossible for public figures. debt is an unfinished transaction; The upshot of all this has been imisation or ‘shareholder value’ ground reports from various parts Amnesty International and the The book provides some valid it has to be eventually repaid, a huge transfer of wealth from as it is fashionable to describe of that small, 360 square kilome - UN in reports released over the commentary, too, on the role of and this will result in a gush of the lower and middle income them. The absolute logic of capi - tre stretch of Mediterranean coast last year. the ICRC in the crisis and lays an liquidity exiting the economy groups to the top 10% or 1% or talism is to increase market con - whose population has been so Blumenthal provides some appropriate amount of blame at causing a collapse in demand. 0.1%. And in the land of the free, centration, which means more savagely affected by the politics of more interesting analysis of spe - the feet of a Sisi-led Egypt which Certainly debts can be default - that paradigm of social mobility and more power and finance into the region. Unfortunately a lot of cific military evolution on both supported the Israeli siege of ed on, but that will just result in and equal opportunity, the fewer and fewer hands, and away this reporting takes the form of a sides of the conflict. He speaks in Gaza with even more vigour than another sort of crisis as lenders United States, ‘more than half of from the more dispersed and kind of interview-based, after-the- some detail about the tactical the Mubarak regime. However, and savers take a massive hit all US business equity, both pri - localised ownership, which event style attempt to collect shift of the Al-Qassam brigades, this is largely a narrative aimed resulting in widespread vate and public, was owned by MacNally advocates. anecdotes of the worst excesses of the military wing of Hamas, and at highlighting the full unfath - bankruptcies. Debt-fuelled the top 1%, and the top 10% In themselves MacNally’s ideas the Israeli military machine. other armed factions inside Gaza omable violence, not just of the 51 growth is simply pulling con - owned nearly 90% (I repeat 90%) seem quite sensible, but with all This serves to highlight some to a more disciplined, guerrilla day conflict that provides the sumption down from the future. of it.’ So much for the American of these types of reforms and important issues (specifically the force inspired by the Iranian title, but of the savage and ongo - But the future will eventually dream. reformers, the economic problems repeated practice of summarily trained forces of Hezbollah. He ing occupation and blockade more arrive like a financial nemesis, With regards to a solution for with capitalism are viewed as executing Hebrew-speaking speaks, too, of specific trends and generally. What Blumenthal fails and since nothing has changed this clearly unsustainable trend, being ‘technical’ rather than Palestinians, the deliberate tar - policies within the Israeli mili - to offer in terms of context and and the banks and financial insti - MacNally advocates equity political which is what they really geting of civilian areas and the tary. These incude the Hannibal nuance already exists in the his - tutions have been left unreformed instead of debt as the instrument are. It was the same with Keynes: possible use of experimental doctrine which seems to promote torical record – the point here is with even higher levels of lever - for investment. He argues that get the macroeconomic variables munitions). But it covers ground the killing of captured Israeli sol - to shine a spotlight on the war age, the next downturn will in all his was ‘a call for more assets to right and bingo - ‘economic bliss’ and incidents which have already diers over negotiation for their crimes committed a year ago and probability be worse than be financed with equity and more was beckoning ( Economic been more thoroughly examined release and the more political this is achieved with some 2007/08. people to own them.’ But he goes Possibilities for our by, amongst others, B’Tselem, concept of ‘mowing the grass’ – an poignancy. In this short book the author on to say that he writes ‘with Grandchildren, 1928). But we pulls no punches about the level deliberate naivety. I have ignored must never lose sight of that fact and consequences of the ever the powerful vested interests that systemic (paradigm) societal growing debt mountain. It would which see the world differently.’ change is a function of political be comforting to believe that we But, there’s the rub. power. Inspiration from the past were over the worst of this ongo - ing debt crisis, but unfortunately the situation has deteriorated Duncan BRITISH SOCIALISM IN THE EARLY Party/British Socialist Party led at a national level. This is proba - even further. Taking global corpo - 1900 S by Henry Hyndman, who joined bly the most detailed study of the rate debt levels alone ‘... at the Bowie on Frank Tanner the Communist Party on its foun - contemporary socialist politics by turn of the millennium they had (Socialist History Society, £6.00) dation in 1920. Written in 1956, a participant, the only other pre- £26 trillion worth of debt out - earlier Tanner sent the typescript to war memoir being Andrew standing. By 2007 the figure was socialist irst hand accounts of pre James Klugmann of the Rothstein’s short pamphlet on the £38 trillion, by the end of 2014 First World War socialism Communist Party education Hackney branches of the BSP debt had risen to £56 trillion.’ struggle Fat the grass roots level are department, who was to write the between 1903 and 1906 published Moreover, just prior to the first rare. We have numerous autobi - first two volumes of the official by the Communist Party history downturn in 2008 the global level s ographies of the first set of history of the Communist Party. group in 1960. Tanner’s memoirs of household, company and gov - Labour MPs, with titles such as The typescript has been recovered cover a longer time-span and pro - ernment debt stood at 174% of From Workshop to War Cabinet or and published as a 130 page pam - vide a much more critical analy - world GDP. By 2014 it had From Workman’s Cottage to phlet. They are a substantive vol - sis than Rothstein’s and are reached 212% of world GDP. In Windsor Castle , all of which track ume. much more than a personal mem - round figures this comes to journeys from humble origins to Tanner presents a narrative of oir. This personal study from an US$165,528,960,000,000. power, but Tanner’s memoirs are local socialist activity in South activist of socialist politics of a This is where Quantitative of a very different nature. London, centred on Brixton and century ago is a reminder of what Easing has got us. But that’s Tanner was an active member Camberwell, but also a commen - socialist politics is all about. okay since runaway asset price of the pre-war Social Democrat tary and analysis of party politics inflation in stocks and property

30 CHARTIST September/October 2015 September/October 2015 CHARTIST 31 WESTMINSTER VIEW A team of talent

Cat eremy Corbyn’s bid for the leadership of to be. the Labour Party has brought the cam - Suddenly, and I saw this in my constituency, the Smith paign to life in a way even his support - people who write into their MP about social justice MP ers, like me, didn't see coming. My first or environmental issues, but who weren't members activity in his campaign was trying to of the Labour Party, started signing up. Hundreds Jfind 35 MP colleagues to back him by nominat - in my constituency and tens of thousands across the charts ing him. Looking back now it's clear that no one country. People who share our Labour values but Corbyn’ expected what happened next. That bid to get had stopped identifying with the Party saw a reason Jeremy on the ballot paper was successful but to sign up. That reason was Jeremy. Of course this s did include some colleagues who don't actually has panicked some. We talk about growing our support Jeremy. Some MPs nominated him party, about recruiting members and activists, but journey because they wanted to see the left beaten to when it happens, questions are asked – who is this prove that only a new-liberal version of Labour person and why do they want to join us? I think it's from the could be successful, but mostly I think that part wonderful to see my local party membership grow - of the Parliamentary Labour Party had lost ing. Many of whom, are young members finally steps of touch with the rank and file membership. inspired by party politics. I plan to welcome my new Portculli In the members with minutes open arms and s House after the I hope all MPs deadline for do too. to front nomina - If Jeremy is tions I to win, and runner stood with that is by no Jeremy in means certain, Portcullis we will have a House feel - stronger party ing a little membership amazed with our new that we had recruits and a done it – we new generation had him on of activists. On the ballot the ground we paper! But will be far I never sus - stronger than pected that our Tory rivals. this was Things won't just the be as easy beginning within the of the jour - Parliamentary ney that we Jez...we...can! Labour Party were to be (PLP), but I going on in know that the coming weeks. Jeremy has packed out Jeremy’s nature is one which means he has the per - venues several times over, people have queued sonal skills to build bridges and forge reconciliation round the block, down the street in various cities with those who will be shocked by a Jeremy Corbyn from London to Liverpool and Preston to win. S Glasgow. Outside the Camden Centre there Politically, this would be the Labour Party stand - u were photos of young people climbing onto win - ing up and challenging the neo-liberal post-1979 b dow sills to peer inside trying to catch the rally consensus that the private sector is more efficient s that was packed inside. These are images than the state, that greed is good, and there's no w c which more closely resemble a celebrity, or such thing as society. A Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour w ri a music gig, not a backbench politician Party would include a team of talent – with a clear w b speaking about the future of the vision for a Britain that doesn't put private wealth . e Labour Party. His message has spo - ahead of our public services, a Britain where people c t ken to the concerns of a young come first, and Britain where the wealth is shared h o generation who felt there is a amongst the country, North and South and urban a C huge unfairness in society and rural. The measure of our success is how many rt H and that the lie they were children we can lift out of poverty, how we care for is A sold, ‘work hard, study our most vulnerable citizens, and where a measure t R hard, get huge debts of happiness counts for more than how much money .o T and a great job’ the richest citizens have. r I isn't quite what g S it was meant Cat Smith is MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood . T u a k t